Renault opens a new path for Sino-French automotive industry cooperation
chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2024-05-07 09:53
This year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, and the friendly ties between the two countries have entered a new historical stage. As a leading figure in the European automotive industry, French automaker Renault Group plays a pivotal role in promoting cooperation between China and France in the new energy vehicle industry. In recent years, the group has collaborated closely with Chinese new energy vehicle companies, jointly opening a new chapter of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.
In 2021, Renault signed a framework agreement with Geely to establish a new powertrain company, "HORSE", with each holding a 50 percent stake. The company is committed to becoming a leader in the next-generation of efficient and energy-saving hybrid powertrain systems. It focuses on the global development, manufacturing and supply of advanced hybrid and efficient fuel powertrains for the global market.
In the same year, Renault reached a strategic cooperation with Envision AESC, which will provide Renault with leading, more cost-competitive and safe green power battery products, supporting Renault's electrification, artificial intelligence, and low-carbon strategies.
In addition, Renault, Dongfeng and Nissan jointly established a new energy vehicle company, eGT, in China. As an important electric vehicle production base for Renault in China, its annual output is nearly 100,000 vehicles and the pure electric model, Dacia Spring, is the best-selling economic electric vehicle in the European market and the second-largest export model in China.
As the automotive energy structure undergoes revolutionary changes, China, with its first-mover advantage, cost advantage, and engineering talents, has taken the lead in the world. Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo has called for "building partnerships with Chinese companies and learning from China, which leads the new energy vehicle industry by a generation, in his article "Letter to Europe".
Renault China CEO Weiming Soh also said that "China has already taken the lead in research and development in raw materials and batteries by four to five years in the global competition." Renault Group has been promoting a new concept of partnerships in China, focusing on supply chain innovation and business model transformation, leveraging the respective strengths of Renault and Chinese companies to expand the Chinese and global markets.