A Honda-Nissan merger isn’t happening. The two automakers have officially pulled the plug on discussions, ending months of speculation about whether they’d join forces. It could have been a $60 billion deal—big enough to make them the world’s third-largest car company. The idea was to team up and take on rising EV giants, especially China’s BYD. That meant sharing development costs and building next-gen cars together. Sounds smart on paper. But the talks didn’t last long. Negotiations stalled after just a few weeks. Last week, rumors were already flying that things weren’t going well. Now, both companies have confirmed it—they’re not merging. The paperwork, a memorandum of understanding signed in December, has been scrapped. That doesn’t mean they’re cutting ties completely. Honda and Nissan say they’ll still work together on electric vehicle technology. Read More Porsche is Auctioning Last 911 S/T in US to Aid Wildfire Victims Why the Deal Fell Apart Earlier reports said that Honda it wanted control. The plan was for Nissan to become a subsidiary, with Honda calling the shots. Nissan saw it differently. Executives thought the deal undervalued the company and turned it down. Honda wasn’t entirely convinced either. Some at the company worried about Nissan’s financial troubles and ongoing restructuring. In the end, neither side was willing to budge. Nissan is now looking at other options. Taiwan’s Foxconn is one possibility. Chairman Young Liu says the company is open to cooperation, maybe even taking a stake in Nissan. But he made one thing clear—Foxconn isn’t looking to take over. Mitsubishi was part of the discussions at first, but sources say it was never fully committed. It quietly backed away while Honda and Nissan tried—and failed—to work things out. The two automakers will still collaborate on electric vehicles, but as separate companies. They both know the market is shifting fast, especially with rising competition from China. Source: Nissan
