The automaker told suppliers working on the two four-door EVs to halt all development activities while it makes changes designed to "enhance product competitiveness," according to a report from Auto News. This isn't the first time the two sedans-one with a Nissan badge, the other a production version of the Infiniti Vision QE concept-have been delayed. They were originally scheduled to go into production in June 2026.
Suppliers cited in the report estimated that the sedans would be held back six to eight months, meaning that two electric SUVs that Nissan also plans to build in Canton will leapfrog them and make it to market first. Nissan also revealed that it plans to build a fifth EV at the same site, a compact crossover roughly the same size as the current ICE-powered Nissan Rogue (X-Trail in Europe), and currently known only by its codename PZ1L.
It's unclear exactly what changes Nissan is making to the sedans that require their production to be delayed, but in March of this year, the automaker said its next generation of EVs would share powertrains, components and development to reduce costs. Implementing that strategy may be the cause of the sedan delay.
Cutting costs has become more important over the past year as automakers have watched the EV market fail to grow as quickly as they expected. Many had banked on electric cars taking the lion's share of car sales by the end of this decade, but are now reversing course, and some brands are extending the life of their internal combustion and hybrid vehicles and ICE programs well into the 2030s.
Auto News notes that suppliers near Canton are concerned about the impact production delays could have on their business. The plant currently builds three models, the Titan, Altima sedan and Frontier, but the Titan will be axed this summer and the Altima was due to be cut in 2025 until it won a temporary reprieve.
Source: Automorive News