Renault Spain aims to produce 400,000 electric vehicles a year

Group Renault divided its commitment to electrification into two main countries. First, it protected its French factories by allowing the first generation of its electric models to be built in what was known as El El.ectriCity, and in Spain the production of hybrid cars is concentrated, with five models available at the factories. Valladolid And Palencia.

However, one day the first awards for the next electric models were handed out in France (Renault 5 or Renault 4for example) it’s time to think about the next zero-emission vehicles that will complete the commercial ambitions of the company he leads. Luca de Meo and that by 2030 they plan to produce about a million electric vehicles a year, for which they will release ten new models by 2025.

The French consortium is currently concentrating electric vehicle production in three French plants: Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitzwhich are part of Electricity and in which it has a goal of reaching a production of 400,000 units per year by 2025, although they can increase its capacity to 600,000 units per year. The Douai plant currently assembles electric versions of the model. Megan and the Picturesqueas well as the new Renault 5, and the Maubeuge plant specializes in commercial vehicles of the Renault brand, Nissan and Mercedes-Benzalthough it is also a mother plant Electric Renault Kangoo.

The third plant, in Ruitz, produces gearboxes that are installed in hybrid versions of the Arkana, Clio, Captur or Megane models.

Like other major manufacturers, Renault has protected its local factories by highlighting the electric cars expected to be in greatest demand in the future, while Spain has received the models that currently sell the most. hybridswhich currently account for 42% of deliveries to Spain, and in 2025 this figure will exceed 50%.

Renault produced more than 300,000 vehicles in 2023 at its Spanish plants in Palencia and Valladolid, up 18% from 2022, and is forecast to significantly exceed that figure this year thanks to the arrival of new models such as the Rafalmade in Palencia or Symbiosisin Valladolid.

The French multinational has seven models with hybrid versions in its range, five of which are produced in Spain. The Spanish-made hybrids are the Rafale, Space And Southin Palencia and Grab and Symbiosis in Valladolid, where Mitsubishi ASX.

Industrial reference

These figures show that Spain is an industrial benchmark for Renault, as some of the brand’s best-selling cars are produced in our country. However, there is uncertainty in the long term, as there is nothing official about the future of production at the moment. electric models.

However, the French group is taking silent steps when it comes to electrifying its Spanish plants in order to position them and compete for the part of the electric vehicle production that is not covered in France (around 400,000 vehicles per year in 2030, if the company’s plans remain).

Without doing so publicly, Renault has filed a request for assistance in the second edition electric vehicle value chain Part of the Electric and Connected Vehicle (VEC) adapt its plant in Palencia. The government has allocated $54.3 million in direct aid for the project, as well as $12.9 million in soft loans.

However, the group has not taken any action regarding its Valladolid plant. Renault confirmed that it plans to participate in the third Perte VEC competition with 500 million in public funds, although it did not provide further details.

Informed sources explain to EXPANSIÓN that the company’s intention is to present the project to electrify the Valladolid plant along the same lines as the Palencia plant, in order to make it competitive in the face of a possible future contract for 100% electricity production.

From the company of the rhombus they insist on their own official positioning that they “always” try to use all emerging opportunities “with the aim of increasing the competitiveness” of their factories.

The potential reward for new electric models will help the Palencia and Valladolid plants get closer to maximum production capacity, as they were producing around 580,000 cars a year in the years before the pandemic.