TOKYO, Japan — According to Nikkei, Nissan Motor aims to compensate parts makers who collaborate with it on electric car development in order to share responsibilities and strengthen collaborative connections. When suppliers miss an order or postpone development, the Japanese automaker will cover the costs, following a global pattern as upstart EV producers from China and elsewhere expand their market presence with low-cost models. Nissan will enhance its joint development efforts with parts makers under its new Alliance Strategic Partner framework, working closely with them from the early phases of development to create specifications for new components. Nissan will cover a portion of the partners’ expenditures if a jointly produced part is not adopted. Personnel costs are projected to range from several millions to tens of millions of yen per project (several tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars). The cost of an electric vehicle prototype made with a metal mold would be in the hundreds of millions of yen range. The combined production projects are planned to concentrate on essential components including the body structure and powertrain parts, which are critical in decreasing the weight of electric vehicles. JATCO and Aichi Machine Industry, both of which have significant relations to Nissan, will participate in the ASP. Costs of joint development will be borne by parts manufacturers whose products do not end up in vehicles. They will be able to devote more developmental resources and skills thanks to the new remuneration scheme. Nissan, on the other hand, aspires to increase the quality of its parts as well as its cost competitiveness. Similar contractual agreements between European automakers and Bosch and other suppliers often demand the use of parts; automakers must pay penalties if jointly produced parts are not integrated into finished vehicles. Foxconn, a Taiwanese electronics company, has created an electric vehicle contract manufacturing operation, sparking concerns among traditional automakers: Will nonautomotive industries provide better working conditions and attract excellent components producers than the legacy industry? Nissan’s compensation plan is also designed to keep parts manufacturers connected to the corporation./n
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