Nissan aims to grow again in Europe with a renewed range

A Nissan wants to return to growth in Europe. After several years of losing market share and visibility in one of the world’s most competitive regions, the Japanese brand has set itself a clear objective: win back ground through a thorough refresh of its model line-up.

At present, the manufacturer holds a 2.3% market share in Europe, including the United Kingdom and EFTA countries. That figure reflects a drop of around 10% in sales up to April compared with the same period last year. The aim now is to lift that presence to 3% across the European market and reach 5% in the United Kingdom, which remains its strongest base in the region.

It is worth remembering that, not so long ago, Nissan exceeded the 4% mark for market share in Europe. Since then, however, the direction of travel has been a gradual decline. Speaking to Automotive News Europe, Massimiliano Messina, who oversees the brand across a broad territory covering Europe, Africa, India, the Middle East and Oceania, admitted that Nissan has “lost some shine” over recent years.

Even so, he remains confident about the brand’s ability to bounce back. To hit the 3% target in Europe, the approach is straightforward: speed up the cadence of launches and broaden the range of models on offer. “We are focused on growth,” he said.

The electric push

Nissan’s recovery plan for Europe hinges decisively on electrifying its range. The new generation of the Nissan Leaf has already entered production and is even available to order in some European markets, including Portugal, signalling the start of this new phase in the company’s strategy.

Joining it is what is expected to be one of the most important pillars of Nissan’s electric push: the new electric Nissan Juke, with production due to begin by the end of this year at the Sunderland plant in the United Kingdom.

In a later step, in 2027, Nissan is scheduled to launch a small electric model developed in partnership with Renault - and based on the electric Twingo - which will strengthen Nissan’s presence in entry-level segments.

According to the brand, this range renewal should be enough not only to meet Europe’s emissions targets, but also to win back customers lost over the past few years. Messina, however, is clear-eyed about the challenge: “we still have some work ahead of us”.

Chinese pressure

Part of Nissan’s urgency is explained by the rising pressure from Chinese manufacturers. Chinese brands already account for almost 10% of car sales in Europe and continue to gain ground, particularly in the electric market. Faced with this new reality, Nissan is trying to reinforce its position before the competition becomes even stronger.

Interestingly, Chinese carmakers could also form part of the answer: the brand is not ruling out the possibility that certain models developed in partnership with Dongfeng could be sold in Europe.

Over the last 12 months, the joint venture between the two companies has produced several electrified models for the Chinese market, including SUVs offered in fully electric versions and with range extenders. For now, however, there is still no official confirmation that these models will make it to the European market.

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