Nissan Could Supply Ford or Stellantis with U.S.-built Hybrid Crossovers

• The Japanese automaker is in talks with other companies who might want a hybrid model based on the next Rogue e-Power.

• Those potential partners include Ford and Stellantis, but not General Motors.

• Nissan could also partner on EV development with these automakers.

In order to improve its financial situation and increase production at its Smyrna, Tennessee assembly plant, Nissan reportedly wants to supply other automakers with hybrid crossovers based on the next-generation Rogue.

Sources familiar with the matter told Automotive News that two of the potential partners with whom Nissan is currently in talks are Ford and Stellantis, but not General Motors.

The next Nissan Rogue is expected to arrive in North America in 2026 (for the 2027 model year), marking the first use of the brand’s e-Power hybrid system on the continent.

This technology, introduced in Europe and Japan almost ten years ago, is different from conventional hybrid systems in that the gasoline engine never directly powers the wheels.

Indeed, the vehicle is always propelled by electric motors, the gasoline engine acting only as a generator that replenishes the battery.

For SUVs such as the Rogue, this powertrain uses a modified version of the same 1.5L Variable-compression turbo three-cylinder engine that is found under the hood of the current Rogue. Smaller engines are employed in the brand’s lighter models.

Starting late next year, North American automakers will get to know the third generation of this powertrain, which Nissan claims is quieter and cleaner than the second generation, while also being 15% more efficient at highway speeds and 9% in the city.

Apart from the next Rogue, Nissan will use this powertrain in the next generation of the Infiniti QX50 and potentially also in the Kicks sub-compact crossover.

In addition, Mitsubishi is expected to offer e-Power in the next Outlander, which is also based on the Rogue platform.

By supplying another automaker with an SUV built on the same architecture and with the same powertrain, Nissan aims to increase usage of its Smyrna, Tennessee assembly plant, which currently runs at about 51% capacity.

If it can find a partner to supply with crossovers, Nissan expects to build up to 138,899 e-Power models in the fiscal year between April 2028 and March 2029, with a ramp up to 161,633 over the following four years.

If all deals fall through and Nissan is left to market its hybrid technology alone, the company believes it will manufacture a maximum of 112,561 e-Power vehicles by the end of march 2033.

In exchange for developing and building hybrid models for its rivals, Nissan reportedly wants to collaborate on EV development, but this isn’t a prerequisite for the hybrid SUV deal.

Interestingly, talks of a merger between Nissan and Honda earlier this year were reportedly abandoned over Honda’s insistence that Nissan abandon its e-Power technology in favour of its own less, advanced but cheaper to manufacture, hybrid system.

Nissan apparently didn’t want to axe a technology that it spent over $2 billion developing a few years ago.

Nissan to Launch Third-Generation e-Power Hybrid in U.S. with Next-Gen Rogue

Looking at potential partnerships, Ford could be a bit more likely since it has just announced that the Escape will be discontinued after 2026, leaving it without a hybrid compact SUV. A reworked version of the next Nissan Rogue could easily replace the Escape in the brand’s lineup.

Stellantis could also benefit from more hybrid crossovers in its North American lineup, but the addition of the hybrid-only Jeep Cherokee for 2026 seems to suggest the automaker will rely on its European arm for its supply of electrified powertrains.

It will be interesting to follow this story and see who ends up collaborating with Nissan over the next few years, if the deals go ahead.

Source: Automotive News