Nissan LCV Research & Development (R&D) Center Unveiled, Zhengzhou Mayor Witnesses

As Nissan deepens its commitment to the Chinese market and strengthens its confidence in transformation, the Nissan LVC R&D Center in Zhengzhou was inaugurated, witnessed by Zhengzhou Mayor Zhuang Jianqiu, along with relevant officials from the Henan Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, Zhengzhou University, and Nissan, who jointly pressed the accelerator for Nissan's LCV (Light Commercial Vehicle) strategic upgrade in China.

As Nissan's first wholly-owned joint venture in China, Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co., Ltd. has established the Nissan LCV R&D Center with the authorization of Nissan. The aim is to achieve technical support for Nissan's global market through technological innovation. In the future, it will undertake more development work for Nissan's global LCV models and technical R&D, including support for cutting-edge technologies such as electrification and intelligence. Additionally, the R&D center will continue to promote localized innovation in the Chinese market, conducting technical breakthroughs and model development based on market trends and user needs, bringing more quality-leading, technology-leading, and experience-leading LCV products to the market.

At the same time, the Zhengzhou municipal government has provided significant assistance and support for the construction of the Nissan LCV R&D Center. Mayor Zhuang Jianqiu of Zhengzhou pointed out the core support from the perspective of the city's industrial strategy: "The unveiling and establishment of the Nissan LCV R&D Center is a fruitful result of the continuous deepening of strategic cooperation between the two parties. We hope that Nissan will continue to take root in Zhengzhou, enrich the industry, continuously increase investment in Zhengzhou, and continue to deepen and expand cooperation, attracting more industrial chain projects to settle in Zhengzhou." Mayor Zhuang Jianqiu stated that Zhengzhou will adhere to providing high-quality institutional, service, and factor supply, striving to create a stable, fair, transparent, and predictable environment. It will continue to provide full-process and full-cycle service guarantees for Nissan's development in Zhengzhou, achieving mutual progress and win-win outcomes for the company's enduring success and the city's high-quality development.

For an automotive company, research and development capability is crucial for maintaining market competitiveness. Since its establishment in 1993, Zhengzhou Nissan has focused on the development of pickup trucks and SUVs. Today, the "technical brain" of the LCV (Light Commercial Vehicle) business has been established in Zhengzhou Nissan, which not only helps Zhengzhou Nissan evolve in its role but also serves as an important reflection of Nissan's strategic upgrade in China. Nissan's Chief Technology Officer, Yeichi Ishii, stated: "The global automotive industry is currently centered around China, accelerating the advancement of intelligent and electrification technologies focused on environmental and safety themes. We expect the Nissan LCV R&D center to fully leverage Nissan’s 90 years of research and development experience to launch new products that customers can trust, ensuring safety, comfort, and market competitiveness."

Makoto Uchida, Chairman of the Nissan China Management Committee and President of Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd., stated that Zhengzhou Nissan has transformed from a "manufacturer" to a "creator," becoming an important engine for Nissan's technological innovation. Zhengzhou will be developed into a "major overseas hub" for Nissan's LCV business, supporting Nissan's global operations with Chinese technology and driving the global market with Chinese wisdom, propelling Nissan's LCV business forward and upward to achieve new brilliance.

Faced with rapid changes in the industry, Zhengzhou Nissan adopts a mindset of starting from zero, adhering to technology-driven and innovation-driven strategies, and embarking on a comprehensive transformation towards "internationalization, off-road capability, and new energy." This year, Zhengzhou Nissan has successively launched the global multi-purpose off-road platform—"Xinghe"—and the new off-road technology brand—"ZNA LAB," aiming to build superior off-road capabilities through technological innovations across four dimensions: power, chassis, intelligence, and safety, making off-roading more efficient, safer, and more enjoyable. Zhengzhou Nissan's General Manager, Sun Yanwei, stated, "Zhengzhou Nissan will always adhere to market demand as the guide and the customer as the center, strengthening industry-academia-research collaboration, continuously optimizing product development and global sales networks, and accelerating towards a scale of over 100,000 units and a production value exceeding 10 billion."

The inauguration of the Nissan LCV R&D Center marks a significant breakthrough in Zhengzhou Nissan's technological innovation capabilities and highlights Nissan's commitment to its LCV strategy in China. Nissan in China is no longer a passive recipient of global Nissan technology but aims to become an active exporter of innovation, serving as a core hub for leading global operations. In the future, Zhengzhou Nissan will utilize the Nissan LCV R&D Center as its core to become a pioneer in "China's innovation empowering the global LCV industry." By leveraging the dual-drive strategy of "research-production linkage + global export," it will promote the iterative upgrade of Nissan's global LCV technology system and maintain a leading advantage amidst the wave of transformation in the automotive industry.