autoevolution
 

Renault ElectriCity Groups Three Strategic Plants For an EV Future

Renault ElectriCity 5 photos
Photo: Renault
Renault ElectriCityRenault ElectriCityRenault ElectriCityRenault Mégane E-Tech Electric
Renault has announced its electric transition and pursuit for profitability would have a name of its own: Renaulution. This plan does not include only new electric cars such as the Mégane E-Tech Electric and the new generations of the Renault 5 and Renault 4 (already named 4Ever).
The French company also has to involve unions in the process so that they won’t hinder it. Luckily, it released this June 9 that it accomplished that with Renault ElectriCity.

The concept was to create a legal entity that will take care of Renault’s three factories in the north of the country: Douai, Maubeuge, and Ruitz. Together, they have about 5,000 employees. The deal was signed with all the unions with a say in these plants, and the list of acronyms is almost scary: CFDT, CFE-CGC, CFTC, CGT, FO, and SUD.

What these guys agreed to support is an electric car hub in the Hauts-de-France region. Those three plants will have the target to produce 400,000 electric cars per year by 2025. Renault expects to hire 700 more people to make that happen: 350 for Maubeuge and the other half distributed between Douai and Ruitz.

Douai will be in charge of the Mégane E-Tech Electric, which will have another C-segment vehicle to follow it soon. Renault is yet to disclose which car that will be. The CMF-EV platform can underpin C-segment and D-segment automobiles.

Unlike what many people thought and published so far, the new Renault 5 and Renault 4 will not use the CMF-EV. Automotive News published on January 23, 2021, that Renault will develop a new B-segment platform called CMF-B EV, a derivative of the CMF-B platform. According to the same article, all the new Renault small cars launched by 2025 would be electric.

Renault confirmed that the “new electric platform dedicated to the industrialization of B-segment vehicles” will be produced in Douai. Maubeuge will stick with commercial vehicles and the new Kangoo E-Tech Electric in 2022. Ruitz would “host a new electrical components manufacturing activity.” Although it may seem unimportant, Renault’s press release suggests Ruitz will be core to its strategy.

Currently, it is said that the batteries would come from the Polish LG Energy Solution’s plant. However, Renault said the ElectriCity would “demonstrate the advantages of locating both the battery factory project and other partners producing electric vehicle components near its factories.”

Renault had never spoken about a battery factory project before. However, after Volkswagen and Ford said they would produce their own cells, it is not unlikely that the French automaker also realized that it could not avoid taking care of one of the critical components its vehicles will have. Having that unit in Ruitz would match the “new electrical components manufacturing activity” description.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
Gustavo Henrique Ruffo profile photo

Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories