Nissan has planned to significantly reduce its costs. And things are moving fast. In terms of variables, the Japanese manufacturer is suspending several post-2026 projects, reassigning 3,000 employees to optimization tasks, and tightening its supplier network. In terms of structures, Nissan will reduce its industrial footprint from 17 to 10 plants by 2027, with the abandonment of a battery plant project in Kyushu.

This restructuring will be accompanied by a social shock: 20,000 jobs will be cut worldwide out of 133,000, including 9,000 already announced. All departments will be affected. The group also plans to reduce non-priority investments and pool support functions.

A rapid slimming program

In R&D, Nissan wants to reduce average hourly costs by 20%, outsource, simplify design, and reduce the complexity of parts. Vehicle development will be accelerated, with cycles reduced to 30-37 months. Ultimately, the complexity of parts will be reduced by 70%, and the number of platforms will be reduced from 13 to 7 by 2035. The future Skyline and a new INFINITI model will be the first to benefit from these changes.

The plan also includes a geographical refocus. Nissan will concentrate on six key regions (the United States, Japan, China, Europe, the Middle East and Mexico), with enhanced local offerings, focusing in particular on electrification and compact SUVs. Alliances with Renault, Mitsubishi and Honda will play a central role in this relaunch.

Renault bogged down in restructuring

On the purely financial front, the targets for the financial year ending March 2026 have already been abandoned. Renault has announced that Nissan's poor performance has weighed on its Q1 2025 net income to the tune of €2.204bn (based on an average exchange rate of 160.4 JPY to 1 EUR for the quarter and an interest rate of 35.9% as of March 31, 2025). The French manufacturer specifies that this negative contribution takes into account the write-downs and restructuring costs necessary for the effectiveness of the recovery initiatives announced by Nissan on April 24. As of May 12, 2025, Renault's stake in Nissan stands at 35.71% (17.05% directly and 18.66% via the French trust).