China is turning to natural resources to generate electricity. In 2012, the country’s wind farms generated more electricity than nuclear power plants for the first time. And while the difference – two per cent – was small, it is likely the gap will widen dramatically over the next few years as wind surges ahead.

China is the Renault-Nissan Alliance's biggest market in the world. Last year, the Alliance sold more than 1.2 million units in China, giving it a market share of 6.6%. The majority of the sales were generated by Nissan, which set up a manufacturing presence in China in twenty years ago.

CEO Carlos Ghosn says localization and lower costs will be key to Nissan’s leadership in China’s emerging electric car market. Ghosn, speaking at Kansai University amid a gathering of Nissan LEAF owners and students, told the Global Media Center that with China’s 2 million electric car goal for 2020, Nissan will do everything possible to be the EV leader.

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Datsun, a Nissan Motor Co. brand designing vehicles for high-growth markets, today announced that it is set to return to South Africa. The first model to be introduced in South Africa will be a new passenger vehicle that will be launched by the end of 2014.

Since the Renault-Nissan Alliance began in 1999, emerging markets have become a pillar of growth for the auto industry. In 1999, Brazil, Russia, India and China(the “BRICs”) represented only 8% of the total industry volume. In 2012, these four countries represented 36% of global vehicles sales. China, which registered 600,000 car sales in 1999, became the world’s biggest car market last year with about 18 million units. Renault-Nissan sold 8.1 million vehicles in 2012, with about 30% generated from the four BRICs. The Alliance accelerates this emerging market expansion enabling each partner to gain brand awareness with millions of customers aspiring to own their first car. But each market presents unique challenges and for the Alliance, the approach differs from country to country.

A leading economist and Rector at the New Economic School in Moscow, Sergei Guriev was invited to the World Economic Forum to speak alongside Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on the opening day. A former Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, he is today on the Forum's Global Agenda Council on Europe. In this short video, he tells us his views on sustainable mobility in Russia, the prospect for electric vehicles, and the significance of the Alliance's joint venture with AvtoVAZ, maker of LADA cars.

Nissan Vice President Andy Palmer comments on the new upscale Almera sedan unveiled at the Moscow International Auto Show. Nissan’s first car designed for the Russian market goes on sale in 2013 and will be built at the Alliance Togliatti plant.
Palmer also talks about Nissan plans for its entry-level Datsun cars, which will also be produced at the Togliatti plant, and his outlook for the overall Russian market.

In a sign of just how central China has become to global automakers, Infiniti this month opened its new headquarters in Hong Kong in part to be closer to its second largest market after the U.S.

In addition to this, Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd and the City of Xiangyang recently announced that two Infiniti models will be manufactured locally at the Xiangyang plant starting in 2014.

The Infiniti brand continues to strengthen its product lineup and expand its sales network to satisfy customers in the growing Chinese luxury segment.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance factory at Oragadam, near Chennai, India – the first dedicated Alliance facility in which Nissans and Renaults are made side-by-side – is a modern and highly efficient plant producing top quality cars.

But there’s more. It’s now officially one of India’s safest and most environmentally-friendly factories, too.

That’s according to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), which has given the plant its top award for excellence in Environmental Health and Safety.

Nissan is adding a third brand to its global lineup: Datsun

Earlier this week, Nissan’s CEO announced the return of the Datsun brand – synonymous with affordability and reliability - which it phased out in 1986. Datsun will provide sustainable motoring to first-time buyers in high-growth markets. Datsun represents 80 years of accumulated Japanese carmaking expertise and is an important part of Nissan's heritage. Datsun vehicles will go on sale in India, Indonesia, and Russia from 2014. Listen to what Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn had to say about the brand’s return at this recent press conference in Yokohama, Japan.