1940s
Tama Electric Vehicle (Passenger Car) E4S-47-I
Economic
activities
in
the
civilian
sector
were
extremely
restricted
during
World
War
II
and
auto
manufacturing
was
limited
to
military
vehicles.
Material
shortages
continued
after
the
war's
end
in
1945,
causing
difficulties
for
the
automobile
industry.
Following
the
postwar
dismantling
of
Japan's
aircraft
manufacturing
industry,
however,
many
workers
from
that
industry
moved
to
the
automobile
manufacturing
sector.
This
laid
the
foundation
for
new
technologies
to
emerge.
In
November
1945,
the
first
car
rolled
off
Nissan
Motor's
production
line
and
from
1946
on,
sales
of
Datsun
trucks,
cars
and
other
vehicles
resumed.
Meanwhile,
the
Tokyo
Electro
Automobile
Co.
(later
Prince
Motors,
Ltd.)
was
founded
by
engineers
from
the
former
Tachikawa
Aircraft
company.
It
began
selling
an
electric
car
in
1947,
helping
to
meet
demand
for
taxis
and
other
vehicles.
1940
| March | ▪ |
The first knockdown (KD) units are shipped to Dowa Jidosha Kogyo in Manchuria. |
1941
| February | ▪ |
Nissan
Truck
Model
180 
Nissan Truck Model 180 |
1943
| August | ▪ |
Construction of the Yoshiwara Plant is completed. (Operations begin in October 1943.) |
| December | ▪ |
World War II progresses: production of cars and trucks is completely stopped. |
1944
| September | ▪ |
The head office is moved to Nihonbashi, Tokyo, and the Company name is changed to Nissan Heavy Industries, Ltd. |
1945
| November | ▪ |
The first postwar-manufactured car rolls off the line. |
1946
| January | ▪ |
Headquarters returns to Yokohama. |
| August | ▪ |
Nissan Truck Model 1121 Research and development of textile machinery begins. |
1947
| February | ▪ |
Nissan Truck Model 2124 |
| May | ▪ |
Tama
Electric
Car
E4S47 
Tama Electric Car E4S47 |
| November | ▪ |
Datsun Passenger car Model DA |
1948
| March | ▪ |
Datsun Passenger car Model DB 
Datsun Passenger car Model DB |
1949
| February | ▪ |
Nissan Bus Model 290 |
| August | ▪ |
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is reestablished as the Company name. |
| - | ▪ |
Datsun Truck Model 3135 |