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Automakers Renault, Nissan will become equals, with equal stakes in each other

TOKYO — Nissan and Renault have agreed to equalize the stakes they hold in each other, both sides said Monday, ironing out a source of conflict in the Japan-French auto alliance. Up to now, Renault Group has held a 43.4% stake in Nissan Motor Co., potentially giving it a larger say in how the Japanese automaker is run. It will transfer shares equivalent to a 28.4% stake to a French trust so each side will hold the same 15% stake in the other, according to the companies. The disparity between the holdings was a cause of friction, especially after Nissan became far more profitable than Renault. The agreement on the change is still being finalized and needs board approval from both companies. The companies said the shares in the French trust can eventually be sold but did not say to whom or how. They said the sale will be carried out in a “coordinated and orderly process” if a deal makes commercial sense to Renault Group, and that there is no time deadline. Until then, the voting rights would be “neutralized” for most managerial decisions, but the economic rights, such as dividends, will continue to go to Renault, the companies said. The top shareholder in Renault is the French government. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month. The alliance has had its ups and downs since it began in 1999, when Renault sent one of its executives, Carlos Ghosn, to then-struggling Nissan to lead a turnaround. Ghosn first served as Nissan's chief executive and later its chairman before he was arrested in late 2018 on various financial misconduct charges. The alliance, which also includes smaller Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motor Corp. and remains one of the world's top auto groups, has been eager to put the Ghosn scandal behind it. Allegations against Ghosn include underreporting income, using investment funds for personal gain and illicit use of company expenses, including overseas homes and a yacht. Ghosn said he is innocent of all charges. He jumped bail in late 2019 and is now in Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan. The equalization of the crossholdings has been speculated about for some time. The companies called the move “an important milestone.” “The ambition is to strengthen the ties of the alliance and maximize value creation for all stakeholders,” said Nissan, based in the port city of Yokohama.

Datsun Redi-Go is reborn brand's first concept car [w/video]

Nissan's plan for its reborn Datsun sub-brand just got a shot in the arm, as the emerging-market manufacturer has unveiled its first concept car since its resurrection back in 2012. Called the Redi-Go Concept, it looks like a high-riding version of Datsun's recently launched Go hatchback that's been fitted with a few concept car cues (not a bad thing).
The Redi-Go packs LED taillights, Datsun's "D-cut grille" and LED running lights into its Go-inspired body. Funky two-tone 15-inch wheels add a bit of cheek to the overall design, and in our minds look quite good, despite being so small. The ruggedized front and rear bumpers, as well as the sill and wheel arch surrounds add to the Redi-Go's rough-and-tumble aesthetic. We like that Datsun has kept the overall package short, giving the Redi-Go a 92.5-inch wheelbase, rather than creating a lifted version of the upcoming Go+. There are no specific mentions of the Redi-Go's mechanicals, although we'd wager that a production model might share the 1.2-liter engine and five-speed manual found in the standard Go.
While it might be easy to dismiss a concept like the Redi-Go in America, there's no denying its importance to the Indian market, which is decidedly more limited when it comes to available bodystyles. "If we were to make a car like Datsun Redi-Go Concept it would be a segment creator in India, an aspirational car that at the same time is attainable, a car that would be within reach of the first time buyer. This concept shows how serious we are about reinvigorating the market by catering for the needs of a growing class of Indians who have the chance to own a family car that will enable them to enjoy a new sense of independence," said Vincent Cobee, the global head of Datsun.

Recharge Wrap-up: Renault EV movie, H2 fueling in Paris

Renault has debuted a new documentary called Le Peuple Electrique, or The Electric People. The film features two drivers touring France over the course of three weeks in a Renault Zoe electric vehicle. Along the way, the duo meet and come to rely upon other members of the EV driving community. Renault is showcasing the film at the COP21 summit in Paris to give an insight into the culture of electric vehicles. See the film above (it's in French), and read more in the press release from Renault.Nissan and Renault have joined forces for an ad campaign for their electric vehicles. The campaign, which focuses on the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe, coincides with the COP21 environmental summit, for which the automakers have supplied 200 electric cars as shuttles for attendees. The ad campaign consists of press, posters, and a series of six videos, each 15 seconds in length, to be shown on social media networks in France, the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy. Read more from Renault.Air Liquide has announced a hydrogen fueling station for fuel cell taxis in Paris. Electric taxi company STEP plans to launch a fleet of at least 70 Hyundai ix35 (Tucson) Fuel Cell taxis in the next five years. The fueling station will be located at Cours Albert 1er near the Eiffel Tower, so this is truly in the heart of the city. "This first station will allow us to promote the benefits of hydrogen as a clean energy for vehicles with consumers," says Air Liquide's Francois Darchis. "Hydrogen offers a concrete solution to the challenges posed by the issue of sustainable mobility, reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well as local pollution in urban areas." Read more from Air Liquide, or at Technologic Vehicles.The world's largest ultra-fast EV charging station is now operational in Beijing, China. Located at the Xiaoying Public Transit Bus Terminal, the station is capable of charging buses to 100 percent in as little as 10 minutes. It features 25 360-kW chargers and five 90-kW chargers, and enough space for 30 buses at a time. The buses come in to charge two or three times a day during their regular operation. Just in time, too. Read more in the press release below. World's Largest Ultra-fast EV Charging Station Goes Live in Beijing, Fully Charging Commercial Vehicles in 10 Minutes This 26,500 m(2) EV charging complex has 25 chargers at 360kW and 5 chargers at 90kW; maintaining a capacity for Ultra-fast charging 30 urban transit buses at the same time STAFFORD, Texas, Dec.