Dongfeng Nissan's Venucia brand, will use Dongfeng's EV platform to drive its electrification transition in China, according to local media.
(Screenshot from the Venucia website)
China's local carmakers' electric vehicle (EV) technology is being used by more other carmakers, as foreign and joint venture brands try to find a place in the world's largest EV market.
The Venucia brand of Dongfeng Nissan, a joint venture between Japanese carmaker Nissan and China's Dongfeng Motor, will use Dongfeng's EV platform to drive its electrification transition in China, according to a report today by local media outlet Cailian.
The report is a clarification of another local media report last week.
On August 16, the National Business Daily reported that Nissan will use Dongfeng's S pure-electric platform, part of its latest quantum intelligent electric architecture, to develop and produce Nissan's pure-electric models.
Audi bought SAIC's platform, Volkswagen bought Xpeng's platform, Volkswagen bought Leapmotor's platform for the Jetta brand, and Nissan will be using Dongfeng's platform as well, the National Business Daily report said, citing Dongfeng's deputy general manager, You Zhengxiang.
Dongfeng unveiled its quantum intelligent electric architecture in April, which is compatible with power forms including pure electric, extended-range, and plug-in hybrid.
Cailian's report today cites a Nissan China insider as saying that it is Dongfeng Nissan's brand, not the Nissan brand, that will use Dongfeng's EV platform.
Dongfeng Nissan was founded in June 2003 and currently operates three brands -- Nissan, Infiniti and Venucia, according to the joint venture's website. Nissan and Infiniti are Nissan brands, while Venucia is a brand launched by Dongfeng Nissan.
Venucia unveiled its new energy vehicle (NEV) strategy at the Guangzhou auto show at the end of December 2022, announcing a full transformation into the segment, with the goal of launching no fewer than two all-new NEV models per year in the future, the report noted.
Venucia will shoulder the task of NEV transformation of Dongfeng Nissan, and on top of the ability to sell 300,000 units annually, gradually challenge the target of selling 500,000 units annually, and eventually become the second growth curve of Dongfeng Nissan, the Nissan JV said at the time.
In China's fast-growing NEV market, joint-venture carmakers are clearly lagging behind.
Nissan sold 59,507 vehicles in China in July, down 13.93 percent from June and 40.61 percent from a year earlier, according to data released on August 4.
In the January-July period, Nissan's vehicle sales in China were 418,016 units, down 35.31 percent year-on-year.
In July, Dongfeng Nissan's vehicle sales including Nissan, Venucia and Infiniti brands were 56,495 units.
