Auto and Tech | Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors have been a joint venture for ten years | 1 June 2021, TOKYO – via JCN Newswire (JCN Newswire) – NMKV Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, is celebrating its tenth anniversary.
On June 1, 2011, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors formed NMKV as a 50/50 joint venture focused on product planning and project management for minivans sold in Japan. NMKV seeks to constantly deliver competitive goods to customers by combining the expertise of Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors in areas like as product planning and development, design, and buying.
As of May of this year, the combined sales of automobiles produced under the joint venture totaled 1.52 million units.
Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors work closely together from the beginning of the product development process, pursuing different designs that reflect the two brands. As a result, models with a high level of competitiveness emerge, fusing the two firms’ know-how and modern technology. Both companies’ models have received widespread recognition, with many winning significant accolades. In the 2020-2021 Car of the Year Japan awards, the latest Nissan ROOX and Mitsubishi eK space and eK X space were named “K Car of the Year.”
The Mizushima Plant of Mitsubishi Motors has invested roughly eight billion yen in the project, which is the first collaboration between Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors to begin manufacture of new electric minivehicles, and NMKV is collaborating with both firms to promote it. Through the development of new and appealing goods as well as project management, NMKV will continue to help Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors increase their domestic competitiveness.
Nissan President Makoto Uchida remarked of the NMKV’s ten years of operation, “Over the last ten years, the minivehicles designed and produced by NMKV have advanced significantly. Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors’ latest models have several Nissan innovative technology and are meant to make customers’ lives easier and more fun. To further increase the appeal of our goods, we will continue to integrate electrification and autonomous driving technology, and we will greatly expand our commercial partnership with Mitsubishi Motors.”
Takao Kato, President of Mitsubishi Motors, stated, “Under the project management of NMKV, the latest model in the eK series, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, is a reliable, comfortable mini-wagon that combines Mitsubishi Motors’ 60 years of expertise in minivehicle manufacturing with Nissan’s advanced technologies. We will continue to deepen our partnership with Nissan and NMKV in order to deliver products that satisfy our customers in the future.”
Junichi Endo, President of the NMKV, stated, “To build appealing vehicles for Japan’s national car, the minivehicle, NMKV is integrating the best of Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors. The three firms will continue to develop their source of strength, Japanese manufacturing capabilities, as well as cross-company and cross-functional collaboration in the future to promote even greater car production through the Alliance’s cooperation.”
