Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance

In September 2021, Mitsubishi Motors plans to end the development of car platforms for the Japanese market and instead use vehicle bases made by ally Nissan Motor beginning around 2026 as the auto industry requires huge investments in technology.

Conflict over control

Although Nissan is larger and slightly more profitable than Renault, the latter has a theoretical control over the Alliance due to its significant voting stake in Nissan and its Nissan board seats (contrasted with Nissan's non-voting stake in Renault). In addition, the single largest shareholder in Renault is the French government, which may have the effect of placing Nissan policy under French government control and has contributed to resentment over the terms of the Alliance within both Nissan and Japan. To strengthen French shareholder control over French companies, France passed the "Florange law" in 2014 that automatically doubled the voting power of long-term shareholders unless the company opted out, which gave France's 15% stake in Renault significantly more voting power and control rights. In April 2015, Renault brought a measure to opt out of the "Florange law" to a shareholder vote. However, the French government, led by the then Minister of the Economy and Finance and later the President Emmanuel Macron, made a short-term purchase of an additional €1.23 billion of shares in Renault to enable it to defeat the opt-out, which was widely seen as a corporate raid by the French government.

In response, Nissan second-in-command Hiroto Saikawa threatened to have Nissan exit the Alliance unless Renault did the following: sell down its controlling Nissan stake, restore voting rights to Nissan's holding in Renault, and relinquish control of the Alliance. Macron and France ignored the demands, figuring that they could reach a deal with Ghosn that was tied to an extension of his leadership of Renault. To alleviate the tension, Renault entered into a binding pledge never to oppose the Nissan board at a company shareholder meeting.

In early 2018, Ghosn discussed making the Alliance "irreversible" and began talks to merge Renault and Nissan, which would have kept them both under his (and French) control, with Mitsubishi to join the merged company later. However, Ghosn's November 2018 arrest in Japan and dismissal from both Nissan and Mitsubishi, which left Saikawa in charge of Nissan, immediately ramped up the tensions between the Japanese companies and the French government, which was given no advance notice of the pending arrest.

After Ghosn's departure from Nissan, Nissan stated that it was denied the opportunity to present evidence of Ghosn's malfeasance to Renault's board. Subsequently, Macron and the French government have reportedly informed the Japanese that they want the merger between Renault and Nissan to go forward and that they want to name Nissan's next chairman. In response, Nissan CEO Saikawa said that this was not the right time to discuss future capital ties between Nissan and Renault.

Despite the conflict, each of the companies has reaffirmed its commitment to the Alliance; for example, Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko said that the Alliance was essential "if we consider the many challenges the auto industry faces. I’ve never thought for once that it was a mistake to join" the Alliance. Nissan and Renault have also repeatedly said that dissolving the Alliance is not an option for either company.

On 12 March 2019, the three Alliance companies signed a memorandum of understanding for creating a "Alliance operating board" with Jean-Dominique Senard as chairman and the CEOs from the three companies as equal members.

Combined sales of Renault and Nissan models achieved the sales milestone of 400,000 all-electric vehicles delivered globally in January 2017. Groupe Renault global electric vehicle sales passed the 100,000 unit milestone in September 2016, with Zoe sales representing 54%, the Kangoo Z.E. with 24%, and the Twizy with 18%.

Nissan global electric vehicle sales passed 275,000 units in December 2016. By the end of December 2017, the Alliance achieved the sales milestone of more than 500,000 electric vehicles delivered globally, including those manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors, now part of the Alliance, and ranked as the world's top selling all-electric vehicle manufacturer.

As of December 2021, the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance continued to be one of the world's leading all-electric vehicle manufacturers, with all-electric global sales totaling over 1 million light-duty electric vehicles, including those manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors since 2009. The Alliance listed as the world's leading all-electric vehicle manufacturer until surpassed in early 2020 by Tesla, with about 900,000 electric cars.

Nissan leads global sales within the Alliance, with about 500,000 cars and vans sold by April 2020, followed by the Groupe Renault with more than 273,550 electric vehicles sold worldwide through December 2019. Mitsubishi's only all-electric vehicle is the i-MiEV, with global sales of over 50,000 units by March 2015, accounting for all variants of the i-MiEV, including the two Minicab MiEV versions sold in Japan.

The Alliance best selling Nissan Leaf was the world's top selling plug-in electric car in 2013 and 2014. Until 2019, the Nissan Leaf was the world's all-time top selling highway legal electric car with global sales of almost 450,000 units by the end of 2019. The Tesla Model 3 surpassed the Leaf in early 2020 to become the best selling electric car in history, with more than 500,000 sold by March 2020. The Zoe listed as the top selling all-electric car in Europe for two years running, 2015 and 2016. The Renault Kangoo Z.E. utility van is the European leader of the light-duty all-electric segment with global sales of 50,836 units through March 2020.

As of December 2019, Renault global sales were led by the Renault Zoe with 181,893 Zoe units, followed by the Kangoo Z.E. electric utility van with 48,821 units, the Twitzy heavy quadricycle with 29,118, and the Fluence Z.E. and its Korean variant, the Samsung SM3 Z.E., with 10,600 cars, all, since inception.

Mercedes-Benz strategic cooperation

The Alliance announced on 7 April 2010, a broad strategic co-operation with Daimler, reported to be worth €2 billion over five years. The companies are joined by an equity exchange that gives the Daimler a combined 3.1% in Renault and Nissan.

Immediately after the announcement, Renault and Daimler began working together on combined next-generation small cars: the Renault Twingo and Smart Fortwo, including electric versions as well as expanding both model ranges. The launches of the jointly developed small car models are scheduled to begin in 2013.

The smart plant in Hambach, France, will be the production location for two-seater versions, while the Renault plant in Novo Mesto in Slovenia will be the production location for the four-seater versions. Future models will also be available with an electric drive from launch. Powertrain sharing will focus on fuel-efficient, diesel and petrol engines. The Alliance will provide 3- and 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines to Daimler.

The companies have agreed to share powertrain and development work on future projects across both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The deal will allow powertrain sharing between Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz vehicles and regional co-operation in the United States, China and Japan between Nissan, Infiniti and Daimler. Daimler will reportedly provide current 4- and 6-cylinder petrol and diesel engines to Infiniti.

In January 2012, the companies announced they would jointly produce engines in Nissan's plant in Decherd, Tennessee. The collaboration marks the first production of Mercedes-Benz engines in the North America Free Trade region. The Tennessee plant's strategic location and logistics links ensure a direct supply of engines starting in 2014 for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, built at Daimler's vehicle plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The deal marked the first time that Daimler had ever built engines in North America. The companies will together produce 250,000 four-cylinder gasoline engines in the plant.

In January 2013, Renault-Nissan, Daimler and a third partner, Ford Motor Co., announced three-way development on "affordable, mass-market" hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2017. The companies said they would invest equal amounts into the effort. By collaborating on the fuel cell stack and other system components, Ford, Daimler and Renault-Nissan hope to improve the technology and produce at a large scale. With a higher production volume, these automakers expect to generate economies of scale and offer more affordable cars.

In June 2014, the Alliance and Daimler announced they would jointly develop premium compact vehicles and jointly manufacture them in Aguascalientes, Mexico, where Nissan already has an existing manufacturing complex. The arrangement is a 50:50 joint venture and the new plant will have an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles. The $1.36 billion venture will produce Infiniti models by 2017 and Mercedes-Benz compacts by the following year.

In 2021 each of the partners sold their shares in each other and ended the formal arrangement between the Alliance and Daimler.