Tokyo, Japan:

Japanese auto giants Nissan and Honda said on Friday they had agreed to explore strategic partnerships in electric vehicles and other areas.

“To further accelerate efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and zero traffic fatalities, strengthening environmental and electrification technologies and software development is critical,” a joint statement said.

“The two companies have reached an understanding based on their belief in the need to combine their respective strengths and explore the possibility of future collaboration,” it added.

They said the scope of the feasibility study includes automotive software platforms, core components related to electric vehicles and supporting products.

“In the medium to long term, it is important to prepare for the increasingly accelerated pace of mobility transformation, and it is important that we reach this agreement based on a mutual understanding that Honda and Nissan face common challenges,” said Nissan’s CEO. Nagachida Makoto said.

“The automobile industry is undergoing a once-in-a-century change,” said Honda Director Toshihiro Mibe.

“The criterion for our research will be whether the synergies of technology and knowledge developed by our company will enable us to become an industry leader by creating new value for the automotive industry,” he said.

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