Renault, Nissan to boost Europe retail network as part of revamped alliance

UK new-car sales rose to 131,994 in January as EV demand jumped 20 percent.

'It takes us 25% more engineers to do the same work statements as our competitors,' Ford CEO Jim Farley said.

Renault CEO Luca de Meo and Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida have built a rapport during frequent conversations as they worked to rebuild their companies' alliance for the modern era. 

Renault-Nissan's revamp now offers business opportunities outside the alliance that were often hampered by a tense partnership between the two automakers.

Recharge, which is building a lithium ion cell factory in Australia, aims to revive Britishvolt's ambitions to build the UK's first gigafactory.

In Mexico, Nissan will produce a new model for Renault, making it the first Renault vehicle produced there in 20 years. The deal also gives Mitsubishi an opportunity to expand in North America.

Carlos Ghosn's plans to more closely unite Renault and Nissan are coming undone as the companies choose more independent paths.

Asa Haglund, who joined the automaker in 2004, takes control of a division that wants to end car crashes.

Renault and Nissan signed a deal to reshape their alliance, with Nissan committing to invest in Renault's electric-vehicle business. The agreement also includes developing and working on several new models globally.

The dropping of the Ford Fiesta and Focus models shows how disruptive the switch to EVs and rise of software will be for automakers used to traditional combustion engines.