Renault CEO has announced that the group, which comprises of Nissan, Mitsubishi and Renault, will launch 21 new models by 2022 as part of its new Drive the Future strategy.

Out of the 21 new models, eight will be all-electric while 12 will be hybrids. The French manufacturer is also cutting down on its diesel engine models by 50 percent by 2022 and reducing the diesel engines to one family from the three currently offered.

15 of the 21 cars will feature autonomous driving technology ranging between Level 2 and Level 4 autonomy, with smaller Renault Group cars gaining Level 2 autonomy by 2019.

The models will be based on a bespoke EV platform that will be shared across the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. The shared platform will be used by small and larger electric models and feature autonomous driving technology.

The first of the three new Renault SUVs expected as part of the new Drive the Future strategy will be a smaller all-electric SUV for the Chinese market.

About £16.1 billion (Rs 1.37 lakh crore) is being spent on research and development for the Drive the Future strategy. Renault is aiming for global sales of more than five million units by the end of the plan, up from almost 35 lakh units in 2016. The Renault brand will grow to produce 500,000 cars annually by the end of the plan.

The strategy also involves doubling its market coverage, as well as capitalising on growing markets such as Brazil, India and Iran, increasing operations in China with partner manufacturer Brilliance, and strengthening its hold on Russia with the Lada brand.

Renault as a brand is looking to move more upmarket and increase prices of its models in a plan spanning six years based on comments by executive vice president of sales and marketing Thierry Koskas. This move is to help distance the French manufacturer from rivals such as Ford, Hyundai and Skoda.

Renault will also join the ranks of carmakers with retail spaces different to traditional dealerships; 800 spaces are to be launched across the plan that are 'closer to customer flow' – for example, in shopping malls.