FRANKFURT -- Daimler could expand its partnership with Renault to share more EV technology.
Daimler said last year that its next Mercedes-Benz Citan car-derived van would have a battery-electric version using Renault-Nissan technology. The Citan is based on the Renault Kangoo.
CEO Ola Kallenius said Daimler is continuing to discuss possible areas of cooperation, including electromobility, with Renault.
"We are open for new projects as long as everyone profits from it," Kallenius told shareholders at the automaker's annual meeting. He cited the upcoming full-electric Citan as a "concrete” example.
Daimler's 10-year-old industrial alliance with the Renault-Nissan has stalled since Mercedes decided to ax its slow-selling X-Class pickup at a cost of 838 million euros after little more than two full years of production. The X-Class shared underpinnings with the Nissan Navara and Renault Alaskan.
Daimler also is ending its cooperation with Renault for its Smart minicars. Smart cars will be built in future in China by a joint venture with Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Geely built a 9.69 percent stake in Daimler in 2018, making it the German automaker's biggest single shareholder.
Current electric Smart ForFour and ForTwo cars share technology with their platform sibling, the Renault Twingo Z.E.
Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard said in June that his company wants to re-trigger its alliance with Daimler.
Daimler’s pension funds own stakes of 3.1 percent in Renault and 3.3 percent in Nissan. Renault and Nissan for their part each hold 1.54 percent in Daimler.
“At present there are no changes planned [in the shareholdings],” Kallenius told the annual meeting on July 8.
