Renault is in talks with Nissan regarding the possibility of collaborating on electric vehicle charging services in 11 European nations.
According to Nicolas Schottey, the CEO of Renault’s charging unit, discussions have already begun in France, with an emphasis on providing charging boxes for Nissan EV customers to install in their homes. These boxes will be supplied by Renault’s Mobilize unit.
During a presentation on new mobility solutions at the Autonomy Mobility conference in Paris, Schottey said the final decision on whether to proceed with the collaboration lies with Nissan.
There has been no official response from Nissan Europe regarding the discussions with Renault on EV charging services. Despite this, Renault and Nissan have a well-established partnership dating back to 1999 and have collaborated on several initiatives.
Renault’s charging unit has been rapidly expanding its operations in Europe, with more than 300 charging stations currently in operation. Recently, the company unveiled a new fast-charging station for public use that can charge an EV up to 80 percent in just 30 minutes. In addition, the company has set an ambitious target of expanding its charging stations to 5,000 locations across Europe by 2024.
In January, Nissan and Renault announced that they had agreed to equalize their mutual cross-shareholdings at 15 percent, a move that would bring significant changes to their decades-long capital alliance and create one of the largest automaker groups in the world.
As per the agreement, Renault would decrease its 43.4 percent stake in Nissan, while Nissan would maintain its existing stake in the alliance with Renault. In exchange for more autonomy, Nissan could acquire up to 15 percent of Ampere, Renault’s EV firm.
The ongoing discussions between Renault and Nissan on EV charging services highlight the growing demand for such services, driven by the increasing popularity of EVs among consumers. As governments around the world set targets to phase out internal combustion engines and promote EVs, there is a growing need for affordable, reliable and easily accessible charging infrastructure.