Nissan Motor, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors will integrate their electric vehicle platforms in an effort to cut costs down to levels similar to traditional fuel automobiles, the Nikkei paper noted.
The method comes as car giants Volkswagen and Toyota Motor are also wanting to mass-produce battery electric vehicles in the middle of tightening emissions and fuel-economy regulations all over the world.
Franco-Japanese alliance partners Renault and Nissan have been amongst the most vocal supporters of the zero-emission innovation but have struggled to reduce expenses enough as they developed their electrical vehicles independently.
The Nikkei stated Renault and Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors, that recently came under Nissan’s control, will use the same auto platform as Nissan’s redesigned Leaf electric car anticipated to go on sale around 2018.
The three automakers will share essential parts such as the motor, inverter and battery, a move that would reduce the Leaf’s cost by about a fifth, the paper said, without mentioning its sources.