- Nissan and Dongfeng created a new export-focused company with 1 billion yuan funding.
- The N7 sedan will be exported to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and possibly Europe.
- Regulations will likely require Nissan to develop new software for international versions.
Despite facing ongoing financial challenges, Nissan has shown it can still deliver a competitive electric vehicle. The N7, a mid-size electric sedan developed for the Chinese market, is a strong example. It’s affordable, looks sharp, and has been selling well – enough that Nissan now plans to export it to markets outside China. Unfortunately, the US won’t be one of them.
In late June, the company’s local joint venture partner, Dongfeng Motor Group, and Nissan China Investment Co agreed to form a new company focused on automobile exports. The entity has a registered capital of 1 billion yuan, of which 60 percent comes from Nissan and the rest from Dongfeng.
Read: Nissan’s $17K Maxima-Sized EV Took Off In China And Now It’s Going Global
While Nissan itself has not yet confirmed the export markets, a report from China’s Xhby says Nissan intends to ship the China-built N7 along with other electric models to various regions, including Southeast Asia and the Middle East starting from next year. Given the rising global demand for Chinese EVs, Nissan may also look at launching the N7 in Europe or Australia, where interest remains strong.
While no other models have been officially named, it’s also been rumored that another candidate for export could be the electrified Nissan Z9 or its sibling, the Frontier Pro mid-size truck, which are offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Adapting for Overseas Markets
However, it won’t be as simple as taking the current N7 and shipping it overseas. Nissan will need to modify some of the car’s software, as it relies on Chinese artificial intelligence, which is restricted in several countries. To address this, the company will develop a new software package for international markets, investing in local developer IAT Automobile Technology to make it happen.
The Nissan N7 is based on the Dongfeng eπ 007, and by using that car as its foundation, Nissan has saved millions it would have otherwise spent developing a vehicle from scratch. While it’s not a fully original Nissan product, international buyers likely won’t care – and most probably won’t even know.
Mazda has taken a similar approach with the EZ-6, also known as the 6e in Europe, which shares its platform with the Changan Nevo A07 and Deepal L07.
