Renault’s enduring alliance partners, Nissan and Mitsubishi, have officially disclosed their plans to invest in the French automaker’s electric vehicle (EV) unit, Ampere, with a focus on developing EVs tailored for the European market. The joint announcement, made on Wednesday, signals a shift towards a more pragmatic and regionally centered collaboration between the three automakers.
Nissan and Mitsubishi have committed investments of up to 600 million euros ($647.46 million) and 200 million euros in Ampere, an entity separated from Renault and slated for a public listing in the coming year. Nissan’s investment positions it as a “strategic investor” in Ampere, with potential plans to leverage the EV unit’s software and connectivity innovations in markets beyond Europe, as noted by Makoto Uchida, CEO of Nissan.
Recognizing the challenges of developing electric vehicles on a global scale independently, Uchida emphasized the importance of regional cooperation. Ampere’s responsibilities include the development and production of an electric version of the compact Nissan Micra for the European market, and a medium-sized electric SUV for Mitsubishi.
Renault CEO Luca de Meo highlighted Ampere’s role in significantly reducing costs for the Nissan Micra by 50%. The alliance partners also confirmed collaborative projects in Latin America and India.
This announcement follows the conclusion of the common purchasing agreement in September, allowing Renault, Nissan, and Mitsubishi to focus on individual projects and better adapt to regional variations in automotive markets. The restructured alliance, finalized in July, concluded after extended negotiations, partly due to concerns from Nissan regarding the protection of its intellectual property in future collaborations.
