Who Owns Nissan? Understanding the Global Automotive Alliance

Here at Boucher Nissan of Waukesha, we get a lot of great questions from customers — and one that comes up more than you’d think is, “So… who owns Nissan, anyway?” It’s a fair thing to wonder, especially when you’re about to invest in a new vehicle. Knowing the story behind the brand says a lot about what you’re driving. And Nissan’s story? It’s a good one.

Who Owns Nissan?

Nissan is publicly owned, with shares traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The largest single stakeholder is the French automaker Renault, which holds around 15% of Nissan’s shares. Nissan, in turn, holds a smaller cross-stake in Renault — a structure that reflects decades of partnership between the two companies.

This arrangement grew out of a crisis. In the late 1990s, Nissan was carrying enormous debt and on the verge of collapse. Renault stepped in with a financial lifeline in 1999, forming what would become the Renault-Nissan Alliance — and later, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance after Nissan acquired a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. Today, that three-company alliance routinely ranks among the top two or three automotive groups worldwide by total vehicles sold.

So who makes Nissan cars? Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, with manufacturing operations spread across the globe, including major plants in the United States, Mexico, the UK, and Japan. The cars you see on Waukesha roads are the product of a truly international operation.

A Quick Look at the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance

• Renault — French automaker, largest Nissan shareholder (15%)
• Nissan — Japanese automaker, cross-holds 15% in Renault; owns 34% of Mitsubishi
• Mitsubishi Motors — Japanese automaker, operating semi-independently under the Alliance umbrella
• Combined output — The Alliance has produced over 10 million vehicles annually in peak years

The History of Nissan

Nissan has been around a lot longer than most people realize. The brand traces its roots back to 1933, when the Jidosha-Seizo Co. was renamed Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. — with “Nissan” derived from the abbreviation of Nihon Sangyo, meaning “Japan Industries.”

The early decades were defined by the development of practical, affordable transportation for the Japanese market. After World War II, Nissan rebuilt aggressively and began exporting cars to the United States in 1959, when the first Datsun models arrived on American shores. The Datsun name stuck around for decades before being phased out in the 1980s in favor of the unified Nissan branding globally.

Who makes Nissan cars today looks very different from what it was in 1933. Nissan now operates more than 30 manufacturing plants worldwide and employs over 130,000 people. U.S. production is anchored by the Smyrna, Tennessee, plant — one of the largest auto manufacturing facilities in North America — and a second plant in Canton, Mississippi. Many of the Nissans sold at Boucher Nissan of Waukesha were built right here in the United States.

Nissan Milestones Worth Knowing

How Nissan Is Gearing Up for the Future

Nissan isn’t new to EVs — the Nissan LEAF remains one of the best-selling electric vehicles in history. In addition, the Nissan Rogue Plug-in Hybrid will also be available in Waukesha soon! But Nissan is going much further. The company has committed billions of dollars to an electrification plan it calls “Ambition 2030.”

By 2030, Nissan aims to have launched more than 27 new electrified models globally. The Nissan Ariya, the brand’s sleek all-electric SUV, is just the beginning. On the technology front, Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist system continues to evolve, moving the brand closer to hands-free highway driving. Safety, connectivity, and over-the-air updates are all part of the roadmap, too.

Frequently Asked Questions