Back in February 2025, Nissan and Honda ended merger talks after the two companies couldn't come to a mutual agreement. With it, the hopes of seeing Nissan and Honda become the world's fourth-largest automaker became naught.

Despite the merger not happening, it seems both Honda and Nissan did not abandon possible tie-ups entirely. This comes after Honda Motor Corporation CEO Toshihiro Mibe shared that both brands are close to entering a partnership.

During the recent Honda shareholders' meeting, Mibe apologized to stakeholders after the company posted its first-ever annual loss in years. Combined with the brand turning away from their bold EV strategy, some questioned whether Mibe was making the right decisions. However, the CEO quelled fears by stating that they are working with Nissan for a partnership, with some aspect possibly close to an official announcement.

According to a report by Nikkei Asia, Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi could share common ECUs across a range of models, which includes hybrids and EVs. The shared ECUs could reach the market sometime in 2029 or 2030, as there are still questions about the development funding and other important aspects of the shared ECU between the brands. However, an agreement between the brands is expected to happen within weeks.

What could stop the deal between the two brands? Well, Nissan is part of the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance, and Renault still has a 15% voting stake in Nissan. Since Nissan is a publicly traded company, it will need shareholder consent to enter into any deal or partnership with another entity outside the Alliance.

With Honda and Nissan both in precarious financial situations, it seems both brands cannot afford not to have some sort of partnership. The only question now is, will the two brands actually come to an agreement, and will Renault actually let Nissan have a deal with Honda?

Source: Nikkei Asia via Carscoops