Recently, the merger plans between Nissan and Honda have fallen through, sparking widespread attention in the market regarding Nissan’s future direction. Rumors suggest that, with the support of former Tesla director Hiroshi Miyano and former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, a high-level Japanese group is planning for Tesla to invest in Nissan.
According to a report by the Financial Times, the group aims to make Tesla a strategic investor in Nissan and purchase Nissan’s production facilities in the U.S. to tackle the tariff pressures from Trump. Currently, Nissan has two factories in Tennessee and Mississippi with an annual production capacity of about 1 million vehicles, but the actual production forecast for 2024 is only 525,000 vehicles. Following the news, Nissan’s stock price surged by 11.5% at one point.
However, those involved subsequently categorically denied this plan. Mizuno stated in a declaration that he had no involvement in the content reported and was also unaware of any related actions by the Japanese government. At the same time, Elon Musk mentioned that Tesla’s factories are products in themselves, and the production line for the Cybercab stands out in the automotive industry. Additionally, Luca de Meo, president of Renault, which holds a 36% stake in Nissan, noted that no negotiations are currently underway with any potential buyers.
Industry analysis suggests that Tesla has the advantage of vertical integration in production, while Nissan’s production line follows a traditional manufacturing structure. Therefore, an acquisition may not offer significant benefits to Tesla.
