# Exclusive-Nissan seeks tech tie-up without Renault as alliance nears end of road Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2023-04-14 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: Exclusive: Nissan seeks tech tie-up outside Renault as Meta Description: Nissan is developing growth plans in software and EVs independent of Renault, seeking partners outside the auto industry for smarter, more connected cars. URL: https://financedigest.com/exclusive-nissan-seeks-tech-tie-up-without-renault-as-alliance-nears-end-of-roadhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2023-04-14t091716z1lynxmpej3d09hrtroptp4nissan-renault-1736814147452-compressed.jpg) # Exclusive-Nissan seeks tech tie-up without Renault as alliance nears end of road By Norihiko Shirouzu and Maki Shiraki (Reuters) – Nissan is developing growth plans in areas such as software and electric vehicles (EVs) independent of Renault SA as the automakers work to finalise terms of a sharply limited alliance, said seven people with knowledge of the matter. Japan’s third-biggest automaker by sales is seeking a partner outside the auto industry to develop software that connects vehicles to cloud-based services, two people involved in discussions said, without elaborating on candidates. That would [address a relative weakness for Nissan as it tries to make cars “smarter and more connected”](https://www.financedigest.com/connectivity-concerns-must-be-addressed-to-unlock-iots-potential-for-energy-sector.html "Connectivity concerns must be addressed to unlock IoT’s potential for energy sector"), one of the people said. It is also [working on an expanded strategy](https://www.financedigest.com/time-management-strategies-that-work.html "Time management strategies that work") for all-battery and plug-in EVs for North American and Asian markets that will be for Nissan alone, they said. The revelations come as the alliance oversight board met this week to discuss a rebalance that will see Renault [cut its stake](https://www.financedigest.com/sap-to-cut-3000-jobs-explore-qualtrics-stake-sale.html "SAP to cut 3,000 jobs, explore Qualtrics stake sale") in Nissan to 15% from 43% – matching the size of Nissan’s stake in Renault – and Nissan gain reciprocal voting rights. Under the deal, to be finalised by mid-year, [Nissan will also invest](https://www.financedigest.com/nissan-renault-to-invest-600-million-to-make-6-new-models-in-india.html "Nissan, Renault to invest 0 million to make 6 new models in India") in the French automaker’s new Ampere EV business. Imbalance had long riled [Nissan executives who complained Renault](https://www.financedigest.com/from-boom-to-bottom-and-now-big-change-renault-and-nissan-reshape-alliance.html "From boom to bottom and now big change: Renault and Nissan reshape alliance") did not pay its fair share of costs for innovation and development. [Nissan’s emerging strategy reflects a belief within the automaker that the 23-year-old alliance](https://www.financedigest.com/nissan-and-renault-agree-to-overhaul-alliance-this-time-as-equals.html "Nissan and Renault agree to overhaul alliance, this time as equals") has run its course for many of the biggest challenges it faces, the people said. While Nissan sees continued savings in shared parts procurement with Renault, it has no plan to [provide engineering support](https://www.financedigest.com/keysource-to-provide-critical-facilitiesmanagement-support-for-leeds-city-council.html "KEYSOURCE TO PROVIDE CRITICAL FACILITIESMANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR LEEDS CITY COUNCIL") to Ampere, said two of the people, who all asked not to be identified because talks between the pair are ongoing. It also has no plan to provide its e-Power hybrid technology to a gasoline powertrain-focused joint venture Renault has with [China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd and Saudi Aramco Base Oil](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-hits-3-week-high-as-china-eases-covid-curbs.html "Oil hits 3-week high as China eases COVID curbs") Co JSC, two of the people said. ## GOING SOLO Such go-it-alone thinking is shaping a longer-term plan that could be announced by year-end focusing on [improved operational performance](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-use-momentum-analytics-software-to-improve-portfolio-performance.html "How to use momentum analytics software to improve portfolio performance"), electrification and software allowing self-driving and other “connected car” features, one of the people said. Even if [Renault gets something from Nissan](https://www.financedigest.com/renault-and-nissan-in-talks-that-could-reshape-autos-alliance.html "Renault and Nissan in talks that could reshape autos alliance"), benefits moving in the other direction are hard,” a second person with knowledge of Nissan’s stance said. “The restrictions from Renault are gone, and we can move freely.” In a joint statement to Reuters, Nissan and Renault said they were [working toward final partnership terms](https://www.financedigest.com/apples-australian-workers-go-on-christmas-strike-demanding-better-wages-work-terms.html "Apple’s Australian workers go on Christmas strike demanding better wages, work terms") that would make them more competitive. They said they [planned to detail already-announced cooperative projects](https://www.financedigest.com/hungarian-instant-payments-project-progressing-as-planned.html "Hungarian instant payments project progressing as planned") for India and Latin America. The new structure [enables faster](https://www.financedigest.com/forescout-and-fireeye-expand-partnership-enabling-faster-response-to-cybersecurity-threats.html "FORESCOUT AND FIREEYE EXPAND PARTNERSHIP, ENABLING FASTER RESPONSE TO CYBERSECURITY THREATS") and more flexible decision making,” the pair said in the statement. They said, without elaborating, [investing in Ampere would strengthen Nissan in Europe and “accelerate new business”](https://www.financedigest.com/why-investing-in-employee-health-can-be-good-for-business.html "Why investing in employee health can be good for business"). Nissan will [invest and provide technology](https://www.financedigest.com/why-businesses-must-invest-in-cloud-technology-now.html "Why Businesses Must Invest in Cloud Technology Now") for the venture but will limit its operational involvement, one of the people told Reuters. If Ampere [developed technology](https://www.financedigest.com/financial-services-technology-development-in-2023.html "Financial Services technology development in 2023") of interest for Europe, Nissan would look to buy it separately, the person said. ## GHOSN’S VISION GONE The stance marks a hard stop for the vision of Carlos Ghosn, who formerly headed both [Renault and Nissan and pushed deeper integration](https://www.financedigest.com/renault-to-reach-its-goal-on-integrated-electric-vehicles-chain-before-2030-ceo.html "Renault to reach its goal on integrated electric vehicles chain before 2030 -CEO") over the objections of some Nissan executives. Ghosn was arrested in 2018 in Tokyo on charges of financial misconduct, and said his detention was part of a plot by Nissan executives to block a merger. He fled to Lebanon in late 2019 while awaiting trial and has since been living as a fugitive. In rebalancing talks, Nissan has pushed for protection of its [technology to limit any downside from continued](https://www.financedigest.com/how-video-technology-continues-to-boom-in-the-education-sector.html "How video technology continues to boom in the education sector") partnership, people involved have said. Among technology Nissan wants to protect is its work on solid-state lithium-ion [battery making and its e-Power electric](https://www.financedigest.com/battery-swapping-spurs-kenyas-electric-motorbike-drive.html "Battery swapping spurs Kenya’s electric motorbike drive") hybrid powertrain, the people said. Some executives said the alliance talks’ best outcome would have been a “zero percent, zero percent” equity tie-up – a goal they knew was unreachable but floated to [drive home the point that Nissan needed](https://www.financedigest.com/reasons-you-need-a-car-insurance-when-driving-in-thailand.html "Reasons You Need a Car Insurance When Driving in Thailand") to move on its own, the people said. (Reporting by Norihiko Shirouzu and Maki Shiraki; Additional reporting by Gilles Guillaume in Paris and Daniel Leussink in Tokyo; Editing by Christopher Cushing) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---