Japanese Automakers Accelerate Procurement of Chinese Components

[Supply Chain Restructuring] Japanese automakers' China-made component ratio in their locally produced battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has surged to 90%, triggering a trillion-yuan-scale shift in supply chain power dynamics.

Core Trend: Chinese Suppliers Dominate Japanese BEV Models

The 2026 GAC Toyota bZ3X features 65% Chinese-sourced components, while earlier versions of the bZ3X and Nissan’s N7 reach as high as 90%. Toyota’s bZ5 and its premium model, the bZ7 (sold as the Platinum Intelligence 7), also heavily rely on Chinese supply chains, with only about 30% of components remaining Japanese-sourced in the latter.

Key Data: Localization Rates Hit Record Highs

Nissan’s N7 relies entirely on Chinese suppliers for its core triad of electric systems: batteries are supplied by CATL, autonomous driving algorithms come from Momenta, and the vehicle is slated for export to Latin America and Southeast Asia. Former Toyota President Koji Sato has already issued transformation warnings to 484 suppliers.

Strategic Foundation: Electrification Forces Supply Chain Overhaul

Long reliant on their traditional "keiretsu" supplier networks, Japanese automakers are now compelled by the EV wave to adopt cost-effective, highly integrated Chinese solutions. Companies such as iFlytek, Hesai, and Desay SV have all entered the core supplier lists of Japanese carmakers.