When I spoke to Nissan executives in Japan in March, one thing was clear: The hardest work was still ahead of them. Executives like Chief Performance Officer Guillaume Cartier and incoming CEO Ivan Espinosa told me that, while the beginning of the transition plan was in motion, there was more to come. Unfortunately, it looks like the next phase is starting soon: Nissan will cut another 10,000 jobs, according to reports from Nikkei and Japan's public broadcaster, NHK.
Nissan declined our request for comment on the situation.
Nissan has already announced that it'll trim 9,000 employees worldwide, so the extra 10,000 would bring the total to nearly 20,000 jobs, around 15% of the company's overall workforce. Back in March, executives confirmed to InsideEVs that more plant closures and other measures were still incoming, but declined to describe any plans in detail. But with tariff woes adding on top of the company's pre-existing crisis, it's a tough time.
Nissan has been struggling for years, with sales that are far off the company's peaks and strained margins. The company lost money last year, and expects to lose money this year, too. It is struggling to keep up in both the EV and software race while simultaneously increasing sales of existing internal combustion vehicles, and—though less exposed than others to tariffs—will now have to deal with higher prices and a shrinking overall auto market.
Even before the blanket tariffs were announced, the company was actively shopping for partners to help get through these tricky times. Espinosa told InsideEVs that he has a "no taboo" approach to partnerships, and is open to working with any partner that offers a strategic advantage. That's why Cartier, the chief performance officer, says the company "never stopped" talking to Honda, even if merger plans failed. The plan is to still share some development programs in the hope of saving both firms money.
That could include a large SUV for the Americas, Chief Planning Officer for North America Ponz Pandikuthira told reporters, though he was careful to note that no plans had been finalized. We also know that Nissan has been in talks with Foxconn, the company that makes your iPhone. Foxconn has already found one partner that's interested in selling one of its house-developed EVs under another brand, and that could be a path for Nissan, too.
In the short term, though, the company still has a tough road to walk. It has to drive up sales and profits without increasing its own costs, all while trying to plan for an unpredictable and expensive future. The executives I spoke to seemed clear-eyed about that mission. But, as today's reports show, that doesn't mean everyone else is going to like what happens next.
Contact the author: Mack.Hogan@insideevs.com.
