Nissan presented its “The Arc” business plan this week, aimed at improving its overall competitiveness and profitability in the global vehicle market.
Although cheaper electric cars form an important part of its long-term strategy, the Japanese carmaker is still very much committed to internal combustion (ICE) vehicles in the medium-term.
During the aforementioned presentation, Nissan revealed plans to introduce 30 new models globally by 2026, of which 16 would be electrified. In that same period, the company is planning to refresh 60% of its ICE passenger model range.
This new model blitz, enabled by numerous regional and global partnerships with Alliance partners Renault and Mitsubishi, is expected to boost the brand’s worldwide sales by 1 million units by 2026.
As far as Africa is concerned, Nissan has announced plans to launch two all-new SUVs and expand its A-segment ICE vehicle offering.
That’s as much detail as Nissan is prepared to divulge for now, but since A-segment vehicles are usually classified as compact and entry-level offerings, it would seem that the carmaker was planning to offer more affordable options on the continent.
Nissan South Africa’s Country Director Maciej Klenkiewicz revealed last year that two new Indian-sourced passenger models would reach our shores by 2026. Meanwhile Indian media are reporting that Nissan is planning to introduce its own versions of the Renault Duster compact SUV and Triber MPV. But are we putting two and two together correctly? Time will tell.
Sadly there’s no mention yet of whether Nissan’s version of the next-generation Renault Oroch half-tonne bakkie, currently earmarked for South American markets, will make its way to African shores.
Same goes for the new Nissan Navara, which has also been confirmed for introduction in countries like Australia and the US, with Mitsubishi Triton genes. The new one-tonner was teased during the company’s mid-term presentation this week.
The current Nissan Navara is produced in South Africa, with our Rosslyn plant serving as an export hub for the African regions but although exports are expanding the overall volumes remain small. Will Nissan SA be able to justify an investment in the new model to keep the local plant alive? We certainly hope so.
Tailored regional strategy
On a global scale, Nissan said its short- to medium-term plan of action was ensure volume growth through a tailored regional strategy, which would be followed by an accelerated transition to EVs. Through the process the company planned to offer a balanced portfolio of ICE and electric vehicles.
“Under this comprehensive plan we will enhance Nissan’s competitiveness and achieve sustainable profitability,” said Nissan’s President and CEO Makoto Uchida.
“Nissan is confident that it has what it takes to properly execute this plan, which will provide us with the firm foundation we need to bridge to our Nissan Ambition 2030 vision.”