Nissan Motor will produce electric vehicles (EVs) for China's Dongfeng Motor at its Wuhan factory by the end of the year, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Tuesday.

By producing EVs for Dongfeng, Nissan aims to increase the operating rate of the factory, which has been declining because of slumping sales, Nikkei said. A Nissan spokesperson did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Nissan last week said it halted production at its Changzhou plant in China, which it operates jointly with Dongfeng. (Reporting by Daniel Leussink and Rocky Swift Editing by David Goodman )