Nissan Motor Co. is reportedly in discussions with Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn to allow electric vehicle (EV) production at its Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Japan, a move that could spare the facility from shutdown, sources familiar with the matter told.
The Oppama plant, which employs around 3,900 workers, was at risk of closure under a major global restructuring plan announced earlier this year by Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The automaker plans to shut down 7 of its 17 factories worldwide and reduce its workforce by 15%.
Allowing Foxconn to manufacture its own EVs at Oppama would help Nissan reduce costs while minimizing the social and economic impact of plant closures. The deal, if finalized, would mark a significant collaboration between a traditional automaker and one of the world's largest electronics manufacturers.
While Nissan did not confirm the details of the reported talks, it stated that the information published by the Nikkei business daily was not based on official company disclosures. Foxconn has not commented publicly on the report.
Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision, has been rapidly expanding into the EV market and recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan’s junior alliance partner, to supply a new electric model.
If successful, this collaboration could represent a major shift in Japan's EV manufacturing landscape, allowing more agile production models and paving the way for similar cross-industry partnerships.
The potential deal comes amid growing global competition in the EV sector, particularly from China, and signals Nissan's intent to remain competitive by leveraging external innovation and production capabilities.
