Nissan is in talks to supply cars to Honda in the United States, which would let the struggling Japanese automaker put to use an under-utilised American plant, the Nikkei newspaper said on Friday, without citing sources.

The move would be aimed at improving profitability and plant utilization for a turnaround, while helping mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs.

Automakers are constantly fighting to keep cars affordable so their customers can keep coming back, and as economic factors cast larger shadows over the industry, the solutions being developed are becoming more radical.