Nissan’s Global Chief Performance Officer Guillaume Cartier has stressed that the Gulf region, Saudi Arabia in particular, has a strategic importance that goes beyond being just a sales market.
For the company, the region serves as an “exceptional testing environment” for its technologies, thanks to the harsh climate conditions and unique driving patterns that present global-level challenges, said Cartier, who is also Chairperson for Nissan’s Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) region.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Cartier said that high temperatures, high-speed driving, and long distances in the Gulf require specific modifications to Nissan vehicles.
He stressed that the company makes critical adjustments to engines and cooling systems to suit this environment, giving it a competitive advantage and paving way for ongoing product development.
Cartier pointed out that while the market size in GCC states may not be the largest globally in terms of vehicle numbers, it holds strategic importance, particularly for Nissan.
The Gulf region is an exceptional testing environment for Nissan’s technologies, he told the newspaper, stating that the harsh weather and demanding driving requirements make it a real-world lab for product development.
Alignment with Saudi Vision 2030
Regarding how Nissan’s vision aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, especially in the areas of sustainability and electric mobility, Cartier said the Kingdom is moving forward with clear and rapid steps toward the future.
Saudi Arabia’s goals in sustainability and electric mobility perfectly align with Nissan’s strategy to achieve carbon neutrality, he said.
He added that Nissan sees great similarity between its ambitions and those of Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries.
Success of Formula E
Cartier pointed out that this year’s Formula E season has been one of the company’s most successful seasons, thanks to a long-term strategic investment in the third generation of electric race cars.
He stated that Nissan is not only participating in the races, but also manufactures its own race cars, in addition to producing cars for other teams, such as McLaren.
The success was the result of strategic decisions made years ago, including the consolidation of engineering teams at a single location, the selection of the right driver, such as Oliver Rowland, and the precise execution by the team led by Tommaso Volpe.
A Lab for the Road
Cartier explained that Nissan views Formula E as a real testing ground for technologies that can later be introduced to commercial vehicles.
He also stressed that electric motorsports perfectly align with Nissan’s strategy of transitioning to electric mobility, particularly with models like LEAF, Micra, and Ariya.
A Partnership for the Future
Regarding partnerships, Cartier noted that Nissan’s relationship with Saudi company Petromin began with sponsoring a local race in Jeddah, but evolved into a global partnership.
Petromin expanded its partnership with the company to become a global sponsor of Nissan in Formula E, he said.
He added that this is not just about race sponsorship, but a long-term strategic vision.
