Photo: Renault and Geely
Luca de Meo will try to explore as many alliances as possible to improve Renault’s presence in important markets. In the company’s own words, it is the best way to “accelerate the Renaulution Plan.” However, Renault’s MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Geely made us scratch our heads. Both companies said they would join forces in China and South Korea, but the focus will be on hybrid vehicles. Would they be referring to cars that mix combustion engines and electric motors or Renault automobiles with Geely underpinnings?
Geely wants to become a manufacturing supplier with its SEA platform, which stands for Sustainable Experience Architecture and is dedicated to electric vehicles. In China, Renault will use Geely’s “existing technologies and mature industrial footprint” to “jointly introduce Renault-branded hybrid vehicles.” Weird, right?
The French company “will contribute on branding strategy, channel and service development.” However, there is no word about the company getting involved with manufacturing on Chinese soil for these vehicles.
In De Meo’s own words, Renaulution is a plan to turn Renault “from a car company working with tech to a tech company working with cars.” Renault will have three platforms for that: the CMF-BEV, the CMF-EV, and a third one the company is yet to disclose. The first two are fully electric, and the third one should be as well.
For South Korea, Renault should establish the manufacturing of “vehicles based on Lynk & Co’s energy-efficient vehicle platforms” for local markets. In other words, Renault will use these platforms to make its own electric vehicles with Renault Samsung Motors. They should also be electric, not hybrid.
That leads us to believe that the confusion was just a poor choice of words to refer to Renault vehicles with Geely underpinnings. They are hybrids in the sense of mixing brands, but not the sort of vehicles we usually classify as such.
For Geely, these Renault products will help it reduce idle capacity in its factories. For Renault, it prevents the company from making massive industrial investments and still ensuring a more relevant presence in key markets. It may be a win-win deal if the companies get these products right.
The French company “will contribute on branding strategy, channel and service development.” However, there is no word about the company getting involved with manufacturing on Chinese soil for these vehicles.
In De Meo’s own words, Renaulution is a plan to turn Renault “from a car company working with tech to a tech company working with cars.” Renault will have three platforms for that: the CMF-BEV, the CMF-EV, and a third one the company is yet to disclose. The first two are fully electric, and the third one should be as well.
For South Korea, Renault should establish the manufacturing of “vehicles based on Lynk & Co’s energy-efficient vehicle platforms” for local markets. In other words, Renault will use these platforms to make its own electric vehicles with Renault Samsung Motors. They should also be electric, not hybrid.
That leads us to believe that the confusion was just a poor choice of words to refer to Renault vehicles with Geely underpinnings. They are hybrids in the sense of mixing brands, but not the sort of vehicles we usually classify as such.
For Geely, these Renault products will help it reduce idle capacity in its factories. For Renault, it prevents the company from making massive industrial investments and still ensuring a more relevant presence in key markets. It may be a win-win deal if the companies get these products right.
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