The alliance aims to introduce both five-seater and seven-seater models for each brand in India.
Japan’s Nissan Motor has committed to investing in Renault’s electric vehicle (EV) unit, Ampere, even after its initial public offering (IPO) plans were abandoned. Additionally, Nissan is evaluating its partnership with Honda Motor to enhance its global EV expansion efforts further.
Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida expressed the company’s ambition to become a global EV player during a press briefing in Chennai, India. He emphasized the desire to deepen Nissan’s partnership with Renault and expand its presence in Europe. Uchida added that regardless of the IPO, their focus remains on Ampere, and they are already engaged in discussions about their investment.
In December, Nissan confirmed a 600 million euro ($650 million) investment in Renault’s EV business, Ampere. This decision came after Renault scrapped its listing plans earlier in the year due to unfavourable stock market conditions. Despite this setback, Renault’s chairman assured that the investment from Nissan and Mitsubishi, another long-term partner, would not be delayed.
During their first visit to India, Uchida and Renault CEO Luca de Meo acknowledged the challenges and competitiveness of the Indian market. They highlighted the need for government support and a conducive ecosystem for the transition to EVs, signalling the importance of India as a key growth market amid global competition from Chinese carmakers.
Nissan, known for its pioneering all-electric Leaf model, is considering a partnership with Honda Motor to compete with Chinese EV giant BYD, Tesla, and other global automakers. Uchida mentioned that they have initiated a feasibility study with Honda without providing more details. The non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Nissan and Honda is exploring potential areas of collaboration, with the scope still to be determined. The automakers are open to collaborating both in Japan and internationally.
The alliance plans to launch a five-seater and a seven-seater car under each brand in India, with intentions to export them, though no specific timeline has been provided.
