The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi automotive alliance announced that its member companies sold a combined total of 10,608,366 units in the 12 months to 31 December 2017.
Growing demand for SUVs, light commercial vehicles and a rising number of zero-emission pure electric vehicles helped lift unit sales by 6.5% in 2017, the first full-year of Mitsubishi Motors' membership of the Alliance.
Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn said: "With more than 10.6 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles sold in 2017, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi has become the number-one automotive group worldwide. This evolution reflects the breadth and depth of our model range, our global market presence and the customer appeal of our vehicle technologies."
In 2017, the Alliance member companies sold vehicles in nearly 200 countries under ten brands (Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Dacia, Renault Samsung Motors, Alpine, Lada, Infiniti, Venucia and Datsun).
Groupe Renault's sales were up 8.5% to 3,761,634 units in 2017. It was a record year for Renault, the world's leading French brand and number-two brand in Europe, and also for Dacia. Renault is seeking continued growth in 2018, buoyed by the development of its international activities and its renewed range, in line with its Drive The Future plan.
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. sold 5,816,278 vehicles worldwide, up 4.6%, and shared details of Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, the company's six-year strategic plan.
In the USA and China in 2017, the company achieved sales growth of 1.9% and 12.2% respectively. Infiniti sold 246,492 vehicles in 2017, an increase of 7% from the previous year.
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation sold 1,030,454 vehicles in 2017, up 10% from 2016.
The increase in volume was led by China, a key market for Mitsubishi Motors' Drive For Growth plan. Annual sales rose by 56%, to 129,160 units. China became Mitsubishi Motors' largest market thanks to strong demand for the locally produced Outlander.
Performance in the ASEAN region was also strong with an increase of 17% to 242,224 units, thanks to the launch of XPANDER - a compact multi-purpose vehicle - in Indonesia. In Japan, sales increased by 7% as the marketing of kei-cars resumed.
Sustained leadership in electric vehicles
Since 2010, when the Nissan LEAF was first introduced, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi has sold 540,623 electric vehicles worldwide through its different brands. Cumulatively, the Alliance continues as the global leader for 100% electric passenger cars and light commercial electric vehicles.
The Nissan LEAF, the first mainstream, mass-marketed electric vehicle, remains the world's best-selling EV with more than 300,000 vehicles sold since its launch in December 2010.
During 2017, the new Nissan LEAF was unveiled and offers customers greater range, advanced technologies and a dynamic new design. It went on sale in Japan last year, and will be rolled out in other major markets during 2018. The new Nissan LEAF received over 40,000 orders globally including 13,000 orders in Japan; 13,000 reservations in the United States; and over 12,000 orders in Europe.
In addition to the LEAF, Nissan's e-NV200, a light commercial vehicle sold mainly in Europe and Japan, has also recently been upgraded with an additional 100km of driving range in Europe.
In 2017 Renault remained, for the third consecutive year, the leader in Europe's electric-vehicle segment with a market share of 23.8% and sales volumes increased by 38%. Renault ZOE was the best-selling EV in Europe, with sales increase by 44%.
Since 2011, Renault has sold more than 150,000 electric vehicles worldwide, including Renault ZOE, Renault Kangoo Z.E., Fluence Z.E. and Renault Samsung Motors SM3 Z.E..
In 2017, Renault unveiled Master Z.E. thus announcing a range of zero-emission light commercial vehicles unique in the world (Twizy Cargo, company-car version of ZOE, Kangoo Z.E. and Master Z.E.).
In 2017, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi sold 91,000 EVs, up more than 11 percent from 2016.
Alliance 2022 strategic plan
As part of Alliance 2022 strategic plan, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi is forecasting that annual synergies will exceed €10bn by the end of 2022. In addition, 12 new zero-emission electric vehicles and 40 vehicles with autonomous drive technology will be launched.
The introduction of new models and new technologies should lift the combined annual sales of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi to more than 14 million units, generating revenues expected at $240bn by the end of 2022.
