PARIS -- The rebalancing of the Renault-Nissan Alliance will bring new models to Europe, but it also has the potential to reshape fundamental operations such as finance, distribution, retail and end-of-life disposal of cars.
Renault and Nissan announced they will activate a series of joint “high value creation” projects on Monday involving new cars, vans and pickups in India, Latin America and Europe.
Beyond cars, several newly announced collaborations could help the partners cut operational costs and increase dealer margins in Europe.
On the retail side, Renault CEO Luca de Meo said, the number of shared Renault/Nissan dealerships owned by outside investors will be doubled by 2025. “This will substantially increase those investors' profitability and reduce distribution costs,” he said.
The companies will "develop common strategies" on after sales, used cars and financing, using Renault's Mobilize unit, which includes the former captive RCI Bank.
Nissan will also join Renault in setting up a network of electric-vehicle charging stations, potentially joining the coming Mobilize network, which will have hundreds of high-power stations and rest stops at Renault dealerships near major highways. The goal, de Meo said, is to rival “the leader of the market,” without naming the competitor. He later said the goal was to "fight Ionity or be at the same level as Tesla."
And Nissan will help Renault build critical mass in its “circular economy” activities such as second life for older EV batteries, reconditioning used cars and recycling parts. “Renault has big ambitions, so it makes a lot of sense if Nissan jumps on the wagon,” de Meo added.