French carmaker Renault is preparing to launch two new electric vehicles (EVs) for Nissan and Mitsubishi at its Douai plant by the end of the year, marking a key milestone in the firms' shared manufacturing strategy.
The Nissan Micra and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross will be built on Ampere's AmpR Small and AmpR Medium platforms respectively, with production under way at the Douai site in northern France. The Eclipse Cross, to be revealed on 17 September, will be Mitsubishi's first full-electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) for Europe and its first vehicle assembled in France. Nissan unveiled its Micra EV in May, reviving a legacy model for European consumers.
This update builds on Renault's earlier push to transform Douai into a flexible EV hub. The site now produces six electric models across four brands — Renault, Alpine, Nissan and Mitsubishi — after a €550mn upgrade that included battery assembly and modular platform integration. Production rose from 50,729 units in 2023 to 89,527 in 2024, with the plant going fully electric last May.
The Alliance's decision to deepen industrial ties at Douai comes amid broader retrenchment. Nissan recently cancelled its Kyushu LFP battery plant and cut 15pc of its global workforce, citing weak EV demand and a need to refocus on cost savings. Mitsubishi, meanwhile, has scaled back standalone European operations, making its Douai launch a strategic re-entry.
The six electric models across the four brands include the Megane E-Tech, Scenic E-Tech, R5, Alpine A290, and the forthcoming Micra and Eclipse Cross. The site's upgraded production line allows different models to be built on shared platforms, helping reduce costs while maintaining brand-specific features.
The Douai facility is part of Renault's ElectriCity industrial cluster, announced in 2021, which links three northern French sites — Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitz — with the goal of producing 400,000 EVs a year. Output rose to nearly 90,000 units in 2024 and new models are entering production.
