Japanese automaker Nissan is one of the most profitable automakers in the world. A strategic alliance with French automaker Renault has proven to benefit the company.

The company is trying to further increase profitability and has set its sights on gaining market share against industry leaders like Toyota and the floundering US Big Three: (General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler). In order to do this, Nissan has established a plan to develop efficient, alternative-energy and hybrid powered vehicles in order to compete with alternative-energy auto leaders Toyota and Honda for the increasingly important alternative and renewable energy auto market. Despite being a latecomer to the field, Nissan has monetary incentives on its side: the current industry-wide system of federal tax credits given for the sale of hybrid vehicles will cease to apply to Honda and Toyota cars after these companies sell a certain (and rapidly approaching) preset number of hybrid cars.

(Read more at Wikinvest )