Dongfeng Nissan Bets on China-Designed EV to Reclaim Lost Ground
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Dongfeng Nissan is making a renewed push into China’s electric vehicle (EV) market with the launch of the N7 sedan, the first model developed almost entirely by its Chinese team, as the joint venture (JV) seeks to recover from years of declining sales in the world’s largest auto market.
The N7’s product platform, electronic architecture and overall design were all developed by Dongfeng Nissan’s local Chinese team, with heavy reliance on local supply chains. Priced between 119,900 yuan ($16,600) and 149,900 yuan, it also incorporates technologies from Chinese suppliers such as AI voice assistants from iFlytek and DeepSeek, and an advanced driver-assistance system from Chinese startup Momenta.
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- Dongfeng Nissan launched the N7 EV sedan, developed mainly by its Chinese team and priced at 119,900–149,900 yuan, to regain ground in China's competitive EV market after steep sales declines.
- The joint venture now benchmarks against Chinese EV startups, plans five more NEV models by 2026 with a 10 billion yuan R&D investment, and has set up 100+ delivery centers and 500+ retail outlets.
- Nissan’s China sales fell over 20% in both 2022 and 2023, and another 12% in 2024.
- Dongfeng Nissan
- Dongfeng Nissan, a joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Group and Nissan, is renewing its push in China’s EV market with the N7 sedan, its first model mainly developed by its Chinese team. Facing years of sales decline and tougher competition from local EV makers, Dongfeng Nissan is investing heavily in R&D and local supply chains, aiming to launch more NEVs and expand exports, despite expecting slim profits on new models.
- Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
- Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. is a Japanese automaker and the foreign partner in the Dongfeng Nissan joint venture established in China in 2003. Nissan previously led vehicle development in the JV. Although it was an early EV pioneer with the global Leaf in 2009, Nissan’s China-focused EV efforts have struggled, with sales dropping sharply in recent years due to competition from domestic Chinese EV makers and a rapid shift to new-energy vehicles.
- iFlytek
- According to the article, iFlytek is a Chinese supplier that provides AI voice assistant technology for Dongfeng Nissan’s new N7 electric sedan.
- DeepSeek
- According to the article, DeepSeek is a Chinese supplier whose technologies are incorporated into Dongfeng Nissan’s new N7 sedan. Specifically, DeepSeek provides AI voice assistant technology for the vehicle, contributing to the model’s advanced features and localization strategy in China’s competitive EV market.
- Momenta
- According to the article, Momenta is a Chinese startup that supplies the advanced driver-assistance system used in Dongfeng Nissan’s new N7 sedan. This highlights Dongfeng Nissan’s reliance on local Chinese technology partners as it seeks to boost its presence in the electric vehicle market.
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