Renault-Nissan and Daimler expand scope of collaboration

October 1, 2012: The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler are collaborating on two new projects to accelerate development of fuel-efficient powertrains. Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche confirmed the new projects on September 28 in an annual media update about the Franco-Japanese-German partnership.

The new engine project is a jointly developed 4-cylinder petrol engine family co-led by Renault and Daimler. The direct-injection turbocharged engine will feature state-of-the-art technology in a compact package. It targets low emissions as well as a significant improvement in fuel economy.

The companies expect to jointly manufacture the new engines. They will debut in Daimler and Renault and Nissan vehicles in 2016.

The new transmission project will be led by Daimler, which is licensing the technology to Nissan for use in Nissan and Infiniti vehicles starting in 2016. Nissan subsidiary Jatco is planning to manufacture these newly licensed gearboxes in Mexico. The new transmission will feature ‘start and stop’ and ‘park and shift by wire’ technologies.

“These new components demonstrate how broadly and rapidly our collaboration is proliferating – while all the time remaining rooted in specific projects that give tangible benefits to our customers,” Ghosn said. “The relationship is expanding organically and logically.”

“The collaboration achieved a milestone this year, with the first vehicles and engines from the partnership now on the roads,” Zetsche said. “Furthermore, all our engineers are keeping an open mind, looking with fresh eyes at all potential new areas of collaboration.”

Ghosn and Zetsche confirmed that all the original “pillar projects” announced in 2010 have been accomplished or are on track. The companies are also moving forward with advanced research on fuel-cell vehicle powertrains, and they are working on a cross-supply program for battery and powertrain components of zero-emission versions of their small cars.