‘We have 12 months’: Fears Nissan is on the brink of collapse

A global car giant is desperately trying to save itself from collapse after a major investor bailed out.

Global car giant Nissan is on the brink of collapse after longtime partner Renault revealed plans to sell off its interests in the Japanese carmaker.

Insiders claim Nissan, one of Australia’s best-selling car brands, only has one year to survive as the company scrambles to backfill the gaping hole Renault’s departure will leave in its finances.

Nissan is now searching for a new investor to ensure its survival beyond 2025, according to reports.

Two people with knowledge of the talks reportedly said Nissan was seeking a long-term, steady shareholder like a bank or insurance group to replace some of Renault’s equity holding.

“We have 12 or 14 months to survive,” a senior official close to Nissan said.

The bombshell departure of Renault comes as Nissan attempts to finalise the terms of its new electric vehicle partnership with arch rival Honda.

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Nissan Motors president and CEO Makoto Uchida is in the midst of a massive restructure. Picture: AFP

RIVALS NISSAN AND HONDA TO JOIN FORCES?

Reports indicate Nissan is considering “all options” for its future and has not ruled out having Honda buy some of its shares.

A series of restructuring measures have been launched at Nissan on the back of declining sales in both China and the US, insiders said.

French carmaker Renault has also signalled its willingness to sell its Nissan shares on to Honda as it restructures a 25-year partnership that began in 1999 when Renault saved Nissan from bankruptcy.

Historically fierce rival in the automotive market, the Renault departure could be a blessing in disguise for Nissan and Honda as they plan an alliance to combat China’s growing dominance of the electric vehicle market.

Nissan and Honda are currently in talks to develop EV and software technology as China ramps up its own EV development and exports globally.

An alliance between Honda and Nissan on EVs could help those brands find space to play in the North American market – a particularly poignant point given the change in the political landscape that has seen re-elected president Donald Trump push for more jobs in manufacturing in the US.

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Nissan could potentially join forces with Honda and Mitsubishi. Picture: Getty Images

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“This is going to be tough,” a senior official close to Nissan was quoted as saying to the Financial Times. “And in the end, we need Japan and the US to be generating cash.”

Nissan has been criticised for falling behind on hybrid technology, with rivals such as Toyota, Hyundai and Kia having capitalised on the boom in petrol-electric models.

Nissan does offer its own take on the hybrid theme with its e-Power models, which use a petrol engine only as a generator for an electric motor and battery pack. That tech is available in high-grade versions of the Qashqai small SUV and X-Trail family SUV in Australia.

Indeed, Nissan currently has a raft of new or fresh metal on the way in Australia, with a facelifted Qashqai due early in 2025, while in other markets the brand has just refreshed models like the Kicks compact SUV, which plays a price-pivotal role in the US.

The brand still hasn’t launched the Ariya electric SUV in Australia, however, with some industry insiders questioning whether the model – which originally debuted in early 2022 – will ever actually go on sale in Australia, with its debut having been pushed back multiple times over the past few years.

WILL MITSUBISHI JOIN FIGHT AGAINST CHINA?

There is also potential for another Japanese carmaker, Mitsubishi Motors, to enter a potential Nissan-Honda alliance due to Nissan owning a 34 per cent stake in Mitsubishi.

While Nissan reportedly plans to cut that stake down to 24 per cent as part of the ongoing restructure with Renault, it leaves the door open for a three-way Japanese alliance.

Mitsubishi Motors has said no specific details had been finalised but refused to rule out a potential alliance.

“We are currently exploring all possibilities and are eager to co-operate in areas where we can leverage our strengths,” a spokesman said.

Despite Renault cutting down its interests in Nissan, the French carmaker is not looking to bail out on the Japanese companies entirely.

Insiders claim Renault is also mindful of China’s growing power within the automotive industry and recognises the power a Japanese alliance could represent in the rising EV war.

The Japanese trio of carmakers would also be keen to leverage Renault’s ability to unlock the European market, the report said.

Renault is caling back its involvment with Nissan. Picture: AFP

People with knowledge of the talks said broader collaboration involving Renault and Mitsubishi made strategic sense, although the French group added that there were no discussions at present to this end.

Nissan Oceania’s newly appointed vice president and managing director, Andrew Humberstone, recently told industry publication GoAuto that the brand is aiming to recapture a top five position in the market, with plans to bring the brand’s local heritage to life as it tries to increase its local sales share.

“We’ve been here for decades, and yet we haven’t told that story. This is something we’re absolutely going to change,” Mr Humberstone told GoAuto.

News.com.au has reached out to Nissan Australia for comment on the reports around its future on a global scale.

Originally published as ‘We have 12 months’: Fears Nissan is on the brink of collapse