Nissan To Stop Developing Gas Engines For European Car Market

Nissan Motor Co. said Tuesday it will end the development of gasoline engines for the European market in consideration of stricter emissions standards as the auto industry rapidly shifts toward electric vehicles, Kyodo News reported.

Photo Insert: The Nissan Ariya SUV EV

Nissan Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta said the Japanese automaker reached the decision as it will likely be cheaper for European consumers to buy electric vehicles under the tougher regulations due to take effect in 2025.

Amid intensifying technology competition, Nissan has been trying to concentrate its resources on the electrification of vehicles. It aims to have all of its new vehicles in key markets partly or fully electrified by the early 2030s.

As for the European market, Nissan has set a target of having 75 percent of its vehicles electrified by fiscal 2026 before making them all electrified by fiscal 2030.

During an online earnings briefing, Gupta stopped short of saying when the development for other key markets may stop, suggesting that it will continue for a while as long as there are customers.

Nissan said in late January with Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and French partner Renault SA that they will invest 23 billion euros ($26 billion) in electric car technology over the next five years. They aim to launch 35 new EV models by 2030.

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