Renault plans to further separate its combustion engine and EV business activities. That’s what CEO Luca de Meo says to Automotive News†In its home country France, Renault will mainly focus on the development and production of electric powertrains.
In De Meo’s plan, EV activities are concentrated in France. Renault is currently still building combustion engines and hybrid powertrains at the plants in Cleon and Ruitz. The factory in Cleon is currently being converted to production of electric powertrains. The new type of electric motor that Renault is developing together with Valeo should roll off the production line there. Furthermore, Renault is currently working on the ‘ElectriCity’ plan, which will combine the factories in Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitz for the production of EVs. This also includes a new battery factory, for which Renault concluded a deal with the Chinese battery manufacturer Envision AESC.
While Renault wants to focus on EVs in France and want to be fully electric in Europe by 2030, the brand will continue to build combustion engines and hybrid powertrains outside France. This is currently happening in Portugal, Romania, Spain and Turkey. According to De Meo, creating the clusters is the next step in his ‘Renaulution’ reform plan and should ultimately reduce costs even further. He mainly refers to the hybrids as ‘plan B’. De Meo does say that the plan has yet to be discussed with stakeholders and that Renault is currently investigating the next steps. The Renaulution plan does appear to be having an effect, however. After two years of loss, Renault made a profit again last year.
Renault is not the only manufacturer considering separating its electric driving activities from the rest of the company. Ford is considering something similar with its EV branch and would even like to list that division separately. Whether Renault also plans to do something like this will have to become clear later.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl