Renault-Nissan Alliance may achieve the targets in terms of investments into the plant and production capacity, set by the Tamil Nadu Government during the MoU, before the deadline of seven years starting from 2008, said a top Nissan official.
According to Nissan Motor India Managing Director and CEO Kiminobu Tokuyama, the Japanese auto major has invested Rs 2,300 crore so far in the Indian plant at Chennai as against the promised Rs 4,500 in seven years from 2008.
"Of course we don't need to wait for seven years. We have the production capacity of two lakh as of now and we have invested Rs 2,300 crore so far.
That is the current status. And we are studying the situation to increase the current capacity to four lakh," Tokuyama told PTI on the sidelines of launching of Nissan Micra diesel version here.
According to the JV, the plant has been currently producing Nissan Micra, a global sub-compact. Micra, which is also the first vehicle derived from the new V-platform, is destined for the Indian market as well as for export to over 100 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
In 2011, the plant will start production of the Renault Koleos and Fluence, both destined for the Indian market.
Tokuyama said Nissan aims to export a total of 1.1 lakh Nissan vehicles to Europe, Africa and Middle East countries from India.
"We have started exports to Europe in October this year. So far we exported 15000 units. We aim to export 1.1 lakh vehicles in the first year (Oct 2011) to Europe, Middle East and Africa and we will increase it to 2.1 lakh mainly Micro and other future models," he said.
Replying to a question on the tie-up with Ashok Leyland, Tokuyama said they would launch three vehicles in the next three years starting from 2011. The first and third models will be under Ashok Leyland band and the second one will be under Nissan brand.
He said the company is mulling over an idea to assemble Nissan Teanna and X-Trail in Chennai plant.
"SKD and localisation are two of the options presently we are thinking to save import tax and provide customer with affordable cost to Indian customers," Tokuyama said.