Go big or go home: Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn says automaker’s size matters

Renault/Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn with Daimler AG CEO Dieter Zetsche

Speaking at a luncheon at the Detroit Economic Club at the Cobo Center yesterday, Renault and Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said that size matters when it comes to an automaker’s survival in the industry. He said that to cope with rising cost, a successful automaker must be able to compete in every market, segment and technology.

“No 3 million-unit carmaker can make it,” Ghosn said, talking about his companies (Renault-Nissan) recently announced alliance with Daimler AG. “You also must be in every market — and it’s not just Japan, Europe and the United States anymore but also Brazil, Russia, China and India. And you better be in Indonesia, too.”

Ghosn said that every large automaker must be able to simultaneously develop gasoline, diesel, hybrid and electric-vehicle technology since it is difficult to predict which one of those will take center-stage in the future.

Ghosn also announced that Nissan has officially sold out its 13,000 allocation for the LEAF electric-vehicle here in the United States.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)