Renault: Joining forces to make electric cars more affordable, automakers Renault, Mitsubishi and Nissan are expected to announce an alliance this week to jointly develop new vehicles. The automakers’ plan was revealed by Reuters on Monday (24), after hearing from sources connected to the matter.
Pressured by the arrival of new competitors and the increase in demand, the three giants of the automotive sector intend to triple investments for the production of electrified cars. To do so, the brands must invest, together, at least US$ 23 billion (R$ 126 billion at the daily price) in the next five years.
The “Alliance for 2030”, as the partnership between the automakers was named, should be officially formalized next Thursday (27), when new information will be available. According to the news outlet, the plan includes “intensified cooperation” between the parties, as well as a “shared vision on electrification and connected mobility”.
Also part of the project is the shared use of the new solid-state lithium-ion batteries being developed by Nissan. The cobalt-free technology allows to reduce the production costs of the component by 65%, according to the Japanese automaker, something essential to make electric cars cheaper.
30 new models by 2030
With this new Franco-Japanese alliance, at least 30 new electrified models are expected to be jointly launched by 2030, according to the publication’s sources. The vehicles will use five common platforms, four of which have already been developed and partially deployed, while the last is expected to be launched around 2025.
Of these platforms, one is intended for more affordable cars and another for electric SUVs, while two of them are for tiny cars (kei cars) and light commercial vehicles. The fifth, which is still under development by Renault engineers, will focus on compact models.
