Nissan Motor Co plans to manufacture subcompacts in Brazil by 2013 and begin production of electric-vehicles in China, to accelerate its expansion in emerging economies, the Nikkei business daily said.
In a new medium-term business plan to be released on June 27, Nissan aims to invest more than 2 trillion yen ($24.68 billion) to boost worldwide sales to slightly more than 7 million units by fiscal 2016, a 70 percent increase over fiscal 2010, the Nikkei said.
Japan, the United States and Europe accounted for a little more than half of the fiscal 2010 sales, but emerging countries are likely to contribute the majority share by fiscal 2016, the report said.
In Brazil, Nissan has been subcontracting production of large pickup trucks and minivans to French partner Renault SA . Nissan now plans to build a new plant that is capable of producing more than 200,000 vehicles a year, enabling it to expand in the South American market, where it has been weak, the daily reported.
The Japanese automaker is also considering building a plant in Turkey and lifting output in India, Southeast Asia and China, the daily said.
To bolster its sales in emerging countries, Nissan aims to release competitively priced models, the Nikkei said.
The company plans to modify an old compact car and enter into the ultra-low-price market, where vehicles sell for as little as $5,000, the report said.
By taking advantage of promotion measures that Beijing is expected to draw up, Nissan is looking to manufacture electric vehicles in China from next year, the Nikkei said.
In industrialized countries, Nissan plans to develop luxury vehicles with Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE) to be sold through Nissan’s Infiniti brand and the German automaker’s Mercedes-Benz brand dealerships, the paper reported. ($1 = 81.035 Japanese Yen)
