Currently reading: Renault-Nissan braces for EV battle

Renault-Nissan faces new competition from VW for its electric vehicle market lead, but boss Carlos Ghosn welcomes the challenge

Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn has welcomed the challenge to its electric cars sales leadership by Volkswagen, following the launch of the VW e-Up and VW e-Golf at the Frankfurt motor show.

Responding to VW’s claims that it will take electric car leadership by 2018 off the back of similar launches, Ghosn said “I hear we have competition, and I welcome it. Little by little every car maker will enter the electric car field. This industry cannot run without electric cars and hybrid cars."

Under Ghosn, Renault and Nissan took a pioneering approach to electrified cars, and have launched vehicles including the Nissan Leaf, Renault Twizy and Renault Zoe. However sales have been disappointing, and will fall short of Ghosn's original goal of 1.5m sales annually by 2016.

“I remain bullish,” said Ghosn. “By 2020 I believe 10 per cent of cars sold will be electric. We are waiting for governments to show more support, but it will happen. China especially will be key, and by 2020 I expect the momentum to be there.

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