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☆ Renault first-quarter sales rise 1.8%, helped by financing business
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A Renault Scenic electric vehicle (EV) at the Munich Motor Show (IAA) in Munich, Germany, on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. French car maker Renault said on Tuesday its first-quarter revenue grew 1.8%, with good performance in its financing business offsetting a drop in turnover in core automotive sales. The group sold 549,099 units over the period, with revenue reaching 11.7 billion euros ($12.47 billion). Leading EV maker Tesla is cutting prices in several key markets, piling more pressure on European firms. Revenues from financing activity grew 27.9% to 1.25 billion euros, helped by higher interest rates.

Persons: Twingo, Tesla Organizations: Renault, Tesla Locations: Munich, Germany, China

☆ Renault shares jump after scrapping plans to list Ampere EV unit
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of French car maker Renault jumped 5% in early deals on Tuesday, after the company canceled plans to publicly list its new electric vehicle and software business. Renault's share price rose 5.13% at the market open Tuesday before dipping to trade up 1.7% by 8:30 a.m. London time. De Meo originally announced plans to take Ampere public in 2022, as part of a wider strategy to overhaul the automaker and capitalize on the growing EV market. De Meo said Monday that "market conditions" and the increased profitability of the wider business made the listing untenable. He also pointed to a slowdown in EV sales in Europe, but insisted that the electric market would remain "dominant" in the region due to its decarbonization regulations.

Persons: Luca de Meo, De Meo, Ampere Organizations: Renault, Chinese EV, Financial Times Locations: Chinese, London, Europe

☆ Renault seeks to charge up investors for EV unit IPO
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Gilles Guillaume | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

De Meo has targeted a valuation of 8-10 billion euros ($8.6-10.7 billion) for the initial public offering (IPO) of Ampere, which has already been delayed once and is now slated for spring 2024. Two of the sources said Renault was unlikely to go ahead with the IPO if the valuation falls below 7 billion euros, and one said the cut-off point could be closer to 6 billion euros. UBS analysts have valued Ampere at just 3-4 billion euros, and others have questioned the rationale of listing the EV business to raise funds. On Wednesday, De Meo will argue his case for what could be the first attempt by a traditional automaker to unlock value from an EV business via an IPO. Over the first nine months of 2023, Renault brand EV sales fell by around 5% in Europe, having been up 2.5% in the first half, weighed down by a limited line-up.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Ampere, Luca de Meo's, De Meo, Renault, BEV, de Meo, Elon Musk's Tesla, Zoe, Silvia Aloisi, Mark Potter Organizations: Renault, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, UBS, ICE, Jefferies, Nissan, Elon, EV, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, Europe

☆ Renault to launch new Slovenia-made electric city car - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Gilles Guillaume | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A logo of Renault is seen on a car during the French carmaker Renault's 2022 annual results presentation in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, Feburary 16, 2023. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Renault (RENA.PA) will reveal the launch of an additional "affordable" city electric car during this week's capital markets day for its new EV unit Ampere, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Ampere targets 600,000 produced electric vehicles in 2026 and one million in 2031. The company sold just under 50,000 electric Megane and Kangoo vehicles, its current models, last year. It flagged the arrival of electrified Scenic and R5 models for 2024, followed by the R4, in 2025.

Persons: Christian Hartmann, Ampere, Gilles Guillaume, Tassilo Hummel, Silvia Aloisi Organizations: Renault, REUTERS, Rights, Ampere, Reuters, Nissan, Thomson Locations: Boulogne, Billancourt, Paris, French, Mesto, Slovenia

☆ Renault cuts Nissan stake to 15% after transferring shares to trust
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO-The logos of car manufacturers Renault and Nissan are seen in front of dealerships of the companies in Le Coteau, France, July 13, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - France's Renault (RENA.PA) has cut its stake in Nissan (7201.T) to 15% from about 43% by placing 28.4% of the Japanese automaker in a French trust, the companies said in an alliance statement, putting them on equal footing. The new agreement for the restructured alliance between Renault, Nissan and their junior partner Mitsubishi Motors (7211.T) came into effect on Wednesday, the car makers said in the statement. The companies had already said in January that Renault would put roughly 28% of Nissan in a French trust to make them more equal partners. ($1 = 0.9359 euros)Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, France's, Ampere, Daniel Leussink, Christian Schmollinger, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Renault, Nissan, REUTERS, Rights, France's Renault, Mitsubishi Motors, Mitsubishi, Thomson Locations: Le Coteau, France, London

One of them said that the cut off point could be closer to 6 billion euros ($6.33 billion). Some analysts had already questioned Renault's hoped-for valuation of up to 10 billion euros, with some suggesting the carmaker should pursue alternative options to raise cash. De Meo said in September that the listing could value Ampere at between 8 and 10 billion euros, above the French carmaker's own current market capitalisation of 9.55 billion euros. Other EV makers have seen their market value fall sharply in recent months. The Ampere IPO would include a mix of Renault's shares and new shares and could happen as early as April 2024, one of the people said, depending on market conditions.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Ampere, France's, Tesla, Renault's, Luca de Meo, China's Geely, IPOs, De Meo, Bernstein, de Meo, Elon Musk's Tesla, Mathieu Rosemain, Silvia Aloisi, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Gilles Guillaume, Anousha Sakoui, Alexander Smith Organizations: Renault, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Reuters, DKV Mobility, HK, Saudi Arabia's Aramco, Nissan, IPOs Renault, EV, Commission, UBS, Barclays, Ampere, Mitsubishi, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, LONDON, China, Saudi, Europe, Ampere, Elon

[1/2] A Mitsubishi Motors logo is displayed at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland March 5, 2019. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO/PARIS, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors (7211.T) will invest up to 200 million euros ($214 million) in the new electric vehicle unit of French counterpart Renault (RENA.PA), Mitsubishi said on Tuesday. Mitsubishi said in a statement it seeks to improve its EV development technology and expand its lineup of battery-powered vehicles with the investment in the Renault EV unit, named Ampere. The decision to invest in Ampere comes after Mitsubishi's partners, Renault and Nissan Motor (7201.T), finalised a restructured alliance in July. Shortly before the announcement, the Nikkei newspaper reported Mitsubishi's investment into Ampere was expected to be about 20 billion yen ($133.85 million).

Persons: Pierre Albouy, Jean, Dominique Senard, Mitsubishi, Ampere, Renault's Senard, Daniel Leussink, Gilles Guillaume, Jacqueline Wong, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Mitsubishi Motors, 89th Geneva, REUTERS, Rights, French, Renault, Mitsubishi, Renault EV, Nissan, Nikkei, Thomson Locations: Geneva, Switzerland, PARIS, Paris, Ampere, Japan, China, Tokyo

☆ Renault sales up 7.6% thanks to higher prices but forex weighs
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Gilles Guillaume | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A logo of Renault is seen on a car during the French carmaker Renault's 2022 annual results presentation in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, Feburary 16, 2023. Revenues came in at 10.51 billion euros ($11.07 billion), a touch above an analyst consensus forecast of 10.46 billion euros distributed by the company. Like other European carmakers it is facing strong competition in the EV market from Tesla (TSLA.O) and cheaper Chinese models. Renault confirmed its targets for 2023, adding it now expected a group operating margin closer to 8% for the year from a previous 7-8% forecast. ($1 = 0.9497 euros)Reporting by Gilles Guillaume, editing by Silvia AloisiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Christian Hartmann, carmaker, Ampere, Gilles Guillaume, Silvia Aloisi Organizations: Renault, REUTERS, Companies Renault SA, Tesla, carmaker Renault, Turkish, Thomson Locations: Boulogne, Billancourt, Paris, Turkey, Argentina

☆ Renault sets Nov. 15 date for first investor day for EV unit Ampere
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

The logo of Renault is seen at the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, June 15, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Renault SA FollowPARIS, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Renault (RENA.PA) on Thursday announced the first investor day for its future electric vehicle company, named Ampere, will take place on November 15. Renault's Chief Executive Luca De Meo last month said the unit, which Renault plans to list on the stock exchange as a standalone business by spring 2024, could be valued at up to 10 billion euros ($10.47 billion). ($1 = 0.9550 euros)Reporting by Gilles Guillaume, writing by Tassilo Hummel, editing by Geert De ClercqOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Ampere, Luca De Meo, Gilles Guillaume, Tassilo Hummel, Geert De Clercq Organizations: Renault, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Companies Renault SA, PARIS, Thursday, Renault's, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France

☆ Renault to maintain mixed ethanol combustion engines in Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Renault is seen at the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, June 15, 2023. "It still pays to invest in combustion in Brazil," top executive Ricardo Gondo said at an event, adding that the industry will need more federal incentives to accelerate its EV transition. Renault is planning to launch Brazilian sales of an electric version of its French-made Kangoo van in October, when it will also launch its Kardian combustion engine SUV, set to be manufactured locally. Earlier this month, Renault CEO Luca de Meo warned a "very competitive" industry in China and that it will need to "catch up fast". ($1 = 4.9256 reais)Reporting by Alberto Alerigi Jr.; Writing by Carolina Pulice; Editing by Sarah Morland and Marguerita ChoyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Ricardo Gondo, Gondo, van, JAC, Luca de Meo, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Jair Bolsonaro, Alberto Alerigi Jr, Carolina Pulice, Sarah Morland, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Renault, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, SAO PAULO, EV, Wall Motor Co, Chery, Qualcomm, Nissan, Brazilian, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, Brazil, French, Parana, China

☆ Explainer: How France aims to discourage buying of Chinese EVs
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WHY IS FRANCE REVISING ITS EV BONUS ELIGIBILITY RULES? However, in the absence of cheap European-made EVs, a third of all incentives are going to consumers buying EVs made in China, a French finance ministry source said. Because Chinese industry generally relies heavily on coal-generated electricity, the criteria are likely to put the bonus out of Chinese carmakers' reach. But French car buyers will have to wait because Stellantis' (STLAM.MI) Slovakia-made e-C3 city car and Renault's (RENA.PA) France-made R5 are not due to hit the market until 2024. The model is currently one of the best-selling electric car's in France with the Tesla Y, Peugeot's e-208, Fiat's 500e, the Megane eTech and MG4.

Persons: Angelika Warmuth, EVs, Emmanuel Macron, Stellantis, MG4, Lorraine Morard, Luca De Meo, Tesla, BYD, Gilles Guillaume, Leigh Thomas, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Company, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, SAIC, P Global, Renault, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, France, China, Europe, FRANCE, French, Slovakia, Dacia Spring

☆ First funding tranche for Verkor battery gigafactory near complete- co-founder
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Gilles Guillaume | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Verkor should complete the first tranche of fundraising for its future battery gigafactory in Dunkirk, France, in the coming weeks, co-founder and chief customer officer Philippe Chain told Reuters. The Grenoble-based startup's gigafactory is one of four electric vehicle battery factories planned in northern France. Verkor has already raised around 350 million euros, mainly for a new innovation centre, a pilot production line already in operation and a "battery school" to train future employees. Construction of the gigafactory has begun and it will have an initial annual production capacity of 16 gigawatt hours (GWh) - including 12 for Renault (RENA.PA), which owns more than 20% of Verkor. Taiwan's ProLogium also plans a gigafactory in Dunkirk with a capacity of 30 GWh in 2030.

Persons: Philippe Chain, Verkor, Taiwan's ProLogium, Nick Carey, Gilles Guillaume, David Evans Organizations: European Union, Renault, Automotive Cells Company, ACC, Mercedes, TotalEnergies, Thomson Locations: Dunkirk, France, Munich, Grenoble

☆ 'Most at risk': UBS downgrades 2 major automakers over China EVs threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

UBS has downgraded both Volkswagen and Renault over mounting competition from Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers. 1 automaker, the company is at risk of being marginalized as Chinese companies, such as Warren Buffet-backed BYD , take market share. 1 automaker in Europe, Volkswagen also faces intensifying competition as higher numbers of cheaper Chinese electric vehicles are imported into the continent. With about 70% of sales in Europe and a 10% market share, the investment bank said Renault is highly exposed to competition from Chinese automakers and Tesla. We estimate Renault's European market share of c10% today will reduce towards 7% by 2030," said UBS analysts led by David Lesne in a separate note to clients.

Persons: Warren Buffet, Patrick Hummel, France's Renault, David Lesne, Benz, Tesla's EVs Organizations: UBS, Volkswagen, Renault, VW, Tesla, Benz, BMW, IAA Mobility, Mercedes Locations: Europe, Munich

[1/6] A view shows model TO3 of Leapmotor, a Chinese automobile manufacturer, displayed during an event a day ahead of the official opening of the 2023 Munich Auto Show IAA Mobility, in Munich, Germany, September 4, 2023. Chinese EV makers, including BYD (002594.SZ), Nio (9866.HK) and Xpeng (9868.HK) are all targeting Europe's EV market, where sales soared nearly 55% to about 820,000 vehicles in the first seven months of 2023, making up about 13% of all car sales. The arrival of Chinese EV makers in Europe has raised concerns they could dominate EV sales. Xpeng President Brian Gu said while European carmakers currently lag behind China, they have made a "huge commitment" to EVs with partnerships and large investments in technology. "I would never discount the large (carmakers) trying really hard to come back and focus on this important transition," Gu said.

Persons: Leonhard Simon, Luca de Meo, De Meo, Hildegard Mueller, Oliver Zipse, Oliver Blume, Brian Gu, Gu, Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, Dudenhoeffer, Nick Carey, Victoria Waldersee, Gilles Gillaume Christina Amann, Zoey Zhang, Jan Schwartz, Friederike Heine, Clarence Fernandez, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, China EV, Renault, Reuters, HK, Europe's EV, Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology, EV, German Association of, Automotive Industry, Jato Dynamics, BMW, Benz, Klasse, Volkswagen, Auto, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, China, MUNICH, BYD, Zhejiang, Europe, Asia

A Renault wallbox charging station is used by a Renault Captur hybrid car at a dealership in Les Sorinieres, near Nantes, France, October 23, 2020. Chinese EV makers, including BYD (002594.SZ), Nio (9866.HK) and Xpeng (9868.HK) are all targeting Europe's EV market, where sales soared nearly 55% to about 820,000 vehicles in the first seven months of 2023, making up about 13% of all car sales. The arrival of Chinese EV makers in Europe has raised concerns they will undercut local carmakers and dominate EV sales. Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) will present its CLA compact class and BMW (BMWG.DE) its Neue Klasse, both of which target higher range and efficiency, while halving production costs. Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) CEO Oliver Blume told reporters that through its partnerships in China, the carmaker aims to cut battery cell costs by 50%.

Persons: Stephane Mahe, Luca de Meo, De Meo, Fabian Brandt, Oliver Wyman, Gilles Le Borgne, Oliver Blume, " Blume, Nick Carey, Victoria Waldersee, Gilles Gillaume, Christina Amann, Friederike Heine, Clarence Fernandez, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Renault, REUTERS, China EV, Reuters, HK, Europe's EV, EV, Jato Dynamics, Benz, BMW, Klasse, Volkswagen, Greenpeace, Protesters, Thomson Locations: Les Sorinieres, Nantes, France, China, MUNICH, BYD, Europe, Munich, Asia

☆ Munich car show shines spotlight on China competition in EV race
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Renault wallbox charging station is used by a Renault Captur hybrid car at a dealership in Les Sorinieres, near Nantes, France, October 23, 2020. About 41% of exhibitors at this year's event are headquartered in Asia, with the number of Chinese companies having more than doubled, including players across batteries and EV production such as BYD, CATL and XPeng. "Europe needs to stop being naive from a macroeconomic point of view in the face of China," Gilles Le Borgne, Renault's (RENA.PA) engineering head, told journalists on Sunday, pointing to the country's control of the full battery supply chain. Chinese and German players, including top German carmakers and suppliers and China's LeapMotors and Horizon Robotics, will also speak at a Chinese EV conference set for Wednesday and Thursday for the first time outside China as part of the IAA. ($1=0.9273 euros)Reporting by Victoria Waldersee, Gilles Gillaume and Christina Amann; Editing by Friederike Heine and Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Stephane Mahe, Gilles Le Borgne, Fabian Brandt, Oliver Wyman, Victoria Waldersee, Gilles Gillaume, Christina Amann, Friederike Heine, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Renault, REUTERS, Rights, Horizon Robotics, EV, IAA, Mercedes, Benz, BMW, Klasse, Volkswagen, Thomson Locations: Les Sorinieres, Nantes, France, Asia, Europe, China

☆ Renault CEO: China very competitive on electric vehicles, Europe needs to catch up
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Renault logo on the Renault Scenic Vision concept-car is seen at its exhibition space, at the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Renault's (RENA.PA) chief executive Luca de Meo said on Monday that China was 'very competitive' in terms of the electric vehicle market, as Renault also prepared to unveil its new Scenic electric vehicle car model. "China is very competitive when it comes to the supply chain of electric vehicles....we need to catch up fast," De Meo told RTL Radio, speaking from the IAA Munich car show. De Meo added that Renault would unveil the prices for its new Scenic minivan later in the year, with a launch planned in the first quarter of 2024. The Scenic will be within the price range for many customers, similar to a hybrid model of the same size and category, he said.

Persons: Porte, Benoit Tessier, Luca de Meo, De Meo, Tassilo Hummel, Sudip Kar Organizations: Renault, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Rights, RTL Radio, IAA, Gupta, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, China, IAA Munich

☆ Renault cannot afford discount race with Tesla, Chinese peers, executive says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

The logo of Renault is seen at the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, June 15, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMUNICH, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Renault (RENA.PA) cannot afford to enter a discount race with Tesla (TSLA.O) or Chinese rivals, the French carmaker's head of engineering told journalists at the IAA Munich car show. "The good strategy is to maintain prices and to adjust fixed costs," Gilles Le Borgne said. Renault's high exposure to Europe makes it one of the most exposed names to new competition from Tesla and Chinese rivals in electric vehicles, UBS wrote in a note this week. Reporting by Gilles Guillaume; Writing by Christoph Steitz; Editing by Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Gilles Le Borgne, Gilles Guillaume, Christoph Steitz, Paul Simao Organizations: Renault, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Rights, IAA, UBS, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, French, IAA Munich, Europe

The loss was a result of the closure of its Russian operations in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The previous margin record was set in the second-half of 2017, when it stood at 7%. Renault aims to reach an 8% margin by 2025 and 10% by 2030. The French carmaker on Wednesday agreed with Nissan (7201.T) on a new structure for their decades-old partnership. The Japanese group will invest up to $663 million in Renault's planned electric unit Ampere, while the French carmaker will reduce its Nissan stake to put their relationship on equal footing.

Persons: Luca de Meo, Victor Goury, Gilles Guillaume, Kirsti Knolle, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Renault, TECH Electric, Peugeot, Citroen, Nissan, Volkswagen, Thomson Locations: Dacia, Ukraine, French

For Nissan, that means contending with an increasingly grim outlook for foreign automakers in China, the world's biggest car market. AMPERE INVESTMENTNissan said it would invest up to 600 million euros ($663 million) in Renault's electric vehicle unit, Ampere. Renault, meanwhile, will lower its stake in Nissan to 15% from around 43%, putting their relationship on equal footing. The investment in Ampere is consistent with Nissan being a strategic investor and securing a board seat on the new company, Nissan said. Nissan had flagged in February that it would invest a maximum 15% in Ampere, but the exact size of its stake remained unclear.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Makoto Uchida, AlixPartners, Nissan, Ampere, Gilles Guillame, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan, Miral Organizations: Renault, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Investment, Nissan, Reuters, North America, Dongfeng Motor Group, Ampere, Qualcomm, Mitsubishi Motors, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, TOKYO, PARIS, Renault's, China, Japan, North, U.S

Nissan has been working to define a lower threshold for its pledged, strategic investment in Renault's electric vehicle unit, Ampere, below the 15% maximum target it announced in February, two of the people said. The automakers announced a framework agreement in February and had aimed to finalise the deal as early as March. Under the framework, the Japanese automaker would take the as much as 15% of Ampere and Renault would reduce its 43% stake in Nissan. "Nissan and Renault are engaged in constructive and ongoing negotiations. The board has not heard the final report on the surveillance claim, according to the three people.

Persons: Ampere, Makoto Uchida, Ashwani Gupta, Gupta, Nissan's, Maki Shiraki, Daniel Leussink, Kevin Krolicki, David Dolan Organizations: Nissan, Renault, Reuters, Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ French car maker Renault first-half sales jump 13%
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Renault SA FollowJuly 19 (Reuters) - French car maker Renault (RENA.PA) on Wednesday said its worldwide sales rose 13% in the first six months of the year, with a 24% increase in Europe. The rebound in sales comes after four consecutive years of declines. Renault's order backlog in Europe represented 3.4 months of sales at the end of June 2023 and it should remain above the target of 2 months throughout the year, even with a market down 30% compared with 2019, the car maker said. Alpine, Renault's premium sports brand relaunched in 2017, sold more than 1,800 units in the same period, with registrations up by 9%, helped by the launch of the Alpine A110 San Remo 73 and the Alpine A110 R Le Mans. Reporting by Diana Mandiá, editing by Silvia AloisiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Diana Mandiá, Silvia Aloisi Organizations: Renault SA, Renault, Remo, Thomson Locations: Europe, Dacia, Russia

Under the framework, the Japanese automaker would take as much as 15% of Renault's new electric vehicle unit, Ampere, while Renault would reduce its 43% stake in Nissan. The delay shows how the latest tension at the top of the Japanese automaker has complicated a drive to bring the decades-long relationship with Renault to a more equal footing. After the automaker was pitched into turmoil by the ouster of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, Nissan executives sought to rebalance the alliance he built. We will make a statement in due course when the agreements are concluded," the Japanese automaker said in a statement. Nissan and Renault's junior partner, Mitsubishi Motors, has also indicated it may invest in the company.

Persons: Ampere, Carlos Ghosn, Makoto Uchida, Ashwani Gupta, Gupta, Maki Shiraki, Daniel Leussink, Kevin Krolicki, David Dolan Organizations: Nissan, Renault, Reuters, Mitsubishi Motors, Qualcomm, Mitsubishi, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, U.S

Under the framework, the Japanese automaker would take as much as 15% of Renault's new electric vehicle unit, Ampere, while Renault would reduce its 43% stake in Nissan. That timeline was extended when senior Nissan executives and some directors challenged detailed provisions of deal, citing the need to better protect Nissan's intellectual property, Reuters has reported. Nissan executives sought to rebalance the alliance built by former Chairman Carlos Ghosn after his ouster sent the automaker into turmoil. While the size of the investment ultimately hinges on the value of Ampere, Nissan is likely to take less than 10%, one of them said. By closing out the restructured Renault deal, Nissan executives have the opportunity to pivot to other challenges, including a medium-term strategy update and a change in approach to China, where Nissan's sales, and those of other global automakers, are in decline.

Persons: Ampere, Carlos Ghosn, Makoto Uchida, Ashwani Gupta, Gupta, Maki Shiraki, Daniel Leussink, Kevin Krolicki, David Dolan, Christian Schmollinger, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Renault, Nissan finalise, Nissan, TOKYO, Reuters, Mitsubishi Motors, Qualcomm, Mitsubishi, Thomson Locations: U.S, China

☆ Renault Dacia sales surge 24% in first-half, production issues linger
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Despite improvements, supply-chain issues are lingering, reducing Morocco production of the Dacia Sandero city car by 20,000 during the period, an executive said. Dacia, which boasts best-sellers such as the Sandero and is expanding its range of electric vehicles (EVs), sold 345,432 vehicles between January and June, the Dacia unit said in a statement. That compares to 277,885 units in the same period of 2022, which was heavily impacted by COVID-19 and component shortages. Sales of the Chinese-made Spring, one of the most affordable electric models on the French market, soared by 38%, while sales of the Sandero were up 24%. I don't know because we cannot still build all the cars we want to build," he said.

Persons: Xavier Martinet, Diana Mandiá, Conor Humphries Organizations: Renault SA, European Union, Thomson Locations: Dacia, French, Morocco, Dacia Sandero

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