"Mastering the Chinese Market"

Author: Wang Lei

Editor: Qin Zhangyong

Nissan has been in China for 40 years.

In 1973, with the arrival of a CEDRIC model, Nissan opened the door to the Chinese market. In 1985, the predecessor of Nissan (China) Investment Co., Ltd., the Beijing Office of Nissan Motor Company, was established, marking the official entry of this multinational automaker into China.

On the evening of October 16, Nissan China hosted a 40th birthday celebration in Hangzhou.

This birthday party holds significant importance for Nissan as it bridges the past and the future. Nissan Motor Company CEO Ivan Espinoza attended the event in person, along with Feng Changjun, the newly appointed General Manager of Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd.

Many classic old cars were on display, such as the CEDRIC and the God of War GTR, along with numerous historical models. Of course, the event wasn't just about reminiscing; it also showcased strength by unveiling three new models at once.

First up is Nissan's inaugural plug-in hybrid sedan, the Nissan N6, along with the market's first fuel-powered car equipped with the HarmonyOS cockpit, the Teana HarmonyOS model. The third model, and the most anticipated by domestic car enthusiasts, is the legendary performance car, the Z NISMO, officially announced for introduction to the Chinese market.

Facing the fiercely competitive Chinese automotive market, Nissan is truly making its move.

01 The World's First HarmonyOS Cockpit Fuel Car

At the beginning of the event, Ivan Espinoza set the tone for the significance of the Chinese market in Nissan's global strategy, stating, "The key to transformation lies in China. The Chinese market is not just important; it is crucial."

He mentioned that Nissan's achievements are beginning to show, with the recently launched Dongfeng Nissan N7 serving as the best example.

As Dongfeng Nissan's first pure electric model, its sales performance since launch has allowed Nissan to experience a "long-awaited" surge, such as accumulating over 20,000 reservations in 50 days, becoming one of the fastest joint-venture pure electric models to reach 10,000 reservations.

Since its launch, sales have not disappointed Nissan, consistently topping the joint-venture new energy vehicle sales charts for multiple months. In June, it ranked first among joint-venture pure electric vehicles with 6,189 retail sales. In July, it led the joint-venture pure electric sedan segment with 6,455 sales. In August, it successfully broke the 10,000-unit mark, delivering 10,148 units and becoming the first joint-venture pure electric model to achieve "double 10,000" sales and deliveries in a single month.

It must be admitted that in the joint-venture car sector, the Dongfeng Nissan N7 has indeed become a dark horse.

This also gave Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. President Makoto Uchida the confidence to say at the event, "Nissan China has also achieved initial transformation results by creating outstanding and well-received products." He also stated that under the new Glocal model, Nissan will truly build cars for China and expand globally from China.

Additionally, the Dongfeng Nissan N7 will receive its second major OTA upgrade, officially evolving into the "full-blooded version." The new version will feature a human-machine co-driving "urban memory navigation" function, while the automatic parking function will be further upgraded, integrating "memory parking" capabilities to better suit actual user scenarios.

Of course, the Dongfeng Nissan N7 is just the beginning. At the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, Nissan announced its product plan to launch 10 new energy models in China before the summer of 2027, with nine belonging to the Nissan brand.

In the fourth quarter of this year, three new models will be introduced: the Nissan N6, the Teana HarmonyOS cockpit, and the FRONTIER PRO.

The first is Nissan's inaugural plug-in hybrid sedan, the Nissan N6. Not only does it resemble the N7 in appearance, but it also shares similar technology, making it somewhat akin to a "plug-in hybrid N7."

With a length, width, and height of 4831/1885/1494mm and a wheelbase of 2815mm, it features a new 1.5L hybrid-specific engine with a maximum power of 75kW and a drive motor with a maximum power of 155kW. It also comes equipped with the class's largest 21.1kWh battery, eliminating range anxiety while considering usage costs.

Features like the N7's AI zero-pressure cloud blanket seats and Momenta's assisted driving solution are likely to be included.

The second model is even more impressive: the world's first fuel-powered car equipped with the HarmonyOS cockpit, the Teana HarmonyOS. It's hard to imagine "HarmonyOS cockpit" and "fuel-powered car" being combined.

This car is equipped with the HarmonySpace 5.1 system developed jointly with Huawei, featuring a 15.6-inch large screen. According to Nissan, it aims to create the first intelligent fuel-powered car. Additionally, it comes with HUAWEI SOUND audio.

Detailed information about this car was not disclosed at the event, but the Teana's renowned comfortable sofas, combined with the HarmonyOS cockpit, are almost guaranteed to win over many fans.

Besides, there's also Nissan's global first plug-in hybrid pickup truck, the FRONTIER PRO, which was previously showcased at this year's Shanghai Auto Show.

The reason for showcasing these three models at the event is not just because they will be launched in the fourth quarter of this year but also because their design, development, and production are all led by Chinese local teams.

Zhou Feng, Deputy General Manager of Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd., Executive Vice President of Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd., and Deputy General Manager of Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company, also stated that these three models "embody the comprehensive implementation of the Glocal model from design to mass production, reflecting the efficient collaboration of Chinese speed."

As the event's "surprise," Ivan Espinoza announced that the legendary performance car, the Z NISMO, will be officially introduced to the Chinese market and will join Nissan China's product lineup next year.

02 The Transformation Has Begun

Twenty-two years ago, Dongfeng Motor and Nissan established Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd., which remains the largest, deepest, and broadest joint-venture project in China's automotive industry.

However, as everyone knows, in the era of electrification and intelligence, traditional brands face immense pressure in China. Many have heard about the significant pressure Nissan experienced due to multiple rounds of sales declines.

At this event, Makoto Uchida, the head of Nissan China, spoke candidly:

"Today, what is the greatest expectation and challenge for Nissan in the Chinese market? The feedback I received is very direct: slow actions and insufficient product updates. This statement puts pressure on me and also makes me more aware—transformation must accelerate."

In Uchida's view, the competitive logic in the Chinese market has changed, and foreign brands must learn to innovate at Chinese speed. Based on this, Nissan's choice is deeper localization.

It's not hard to see that from the N7 to the three new models unveiled at the event, all are primarily developed by Chinese teams, reflecting Nissan's proposed "Glocal" model.

Simply put, it means going global from China.

Under this model, Uchida stated that Chinese teams have gained more initiative in product definition, development pace, supply chain integration, and pricing strategies than ever before.

This also means that Nissan is not just building cars for the Chinese market but will also use China as a springboard to support the global market.

Ivan Espinoza mentioned that the Chinese team is helping Nissan accelerate its global new energy transformation and drive export growth.

It's a fact that Nissan's transformation is lagging, but from a technological standpoint, Nissan still has its brand and technological accumulations. In Uchida's view, no matter how the market changes, the phrase "Technical Nissan" is still recognized. "Nissan is not just about building fuel-powered cars; in the new energy era, Nissan still has the strength to stand center stage."

From a fuel giant to now an electrification pursuer, this identity shift perhaps makes Nissan more aware of the challenges of "great change." After 40 years, Nissan China will stand at a brand-new starting line.