PARIS and YOKOHAMA, Japan, July 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
Unit sales at the Alliance rose seven percent to 5,268,079 vehicles in the first half of the calendar year resulting from an increased demand for models from the French and Japanese brands, and the first semester sales contribution from new Alliance member Mitsubishi Motors.
The Alliance saw increased sales of Renault models including Clio, Sandero, Megane, Captur and Duster, while Nissan reported strong orders for models such as the X-Trail/Rogue, Sentra/Sylphy, Qashqai and Altima/Teana. Unit sales at Mitsubishi Motors, which became part of Alliance in late 2016, reached close to 495,000 vehicles amid solid demand for its Outlander SUV globally and the Pajero Sport in the ASEAN region.
Cumulative sales of electric vehicles by the companies also rose significantly to 481,151 units, reaffirming the Alliance's role as the leading electric car manufacturer for the mass-market segment. The increase was driven primarily by demand for the Nissan LEAF and the Renault ZOE, which remains the #1 EV sold in Europe, and Mitsubishi's i-Miev. On the hybrid side, the plug-in hybrid electric versions of the Mitsubishi Outlander reached over 13,000 units.
Carlos Ghosn, chairman and chief executive of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, said: "The Alliance has delivered record sales during the first semester of 2017 reaching 5,268,079 vehicles sold. We will continue to leverage our significant economies of scale and global market presence to deliver valuable synergies for our member companies this year, while maintaining a strong technology lineup and offering customers breakthrough electric models."
"Our enlarged Alliance is well placed to realize its full potential, not only in terms of unit volumes, but also by providing next-generation mobility services to customers around the world."
Groupe Renault sold 1.879,288 million vehicles in the first half of 2017, which represents a raise of 10.4 percent in a market that grew 2.6 percent. All group brands posted increases in sales volumes and market share. The Renault and Dacia brands set half-year sales records and Renault ranks as the second most sold brand in Europe. Furthermore, all regions increased their sales volumes and market share.
