Strategy plan ‘futuREady’: Renault plans 16 new electric vehicles by 2030
The ‘Renaulution,’ introduced five years ago by then-CEO Luca de Meo, significantly advanced the French carmaker in the field of electric mobility. The portfolio expanded from individual electric models to entire model families, the retro design of the electric compact cars appealed to many customers, and production was reorganised with the ElectriCity factory network. Partnerships with battery manufacturers such as Verkor and AESC were also strengthened.
In hindsight, however, it is worth asking at what cost the ‘Renaulution’ was implemented. Since François Provost took over as Renault CEO last summer, many initiatives launched under de Meo have been halted or wound down. These include the ambitions of the mobility brand Mobilize, the spin-off of the electric vehicle division Ampere, and the electric van joint venture Flexis, which was founded with the Volvo Group and logistics provider CMA CGM but is now set to be fully taken over by Renault.
The question, therefore, was what the new CEO Provost aimed to achieve beyond merely tidying up the existing strategy. Provost and his team have now answered this with the new strategy plan ‘futuREady.’ By 2030, Renault plans to launch a total of 36 new models, with 22 earmarked for Europe alone, of which 16 will be fully battery-electric.
Renault develops 800-volt platform
Renault aims to further expand its electric vehicle portfolio, with the French carmaker also focusing on a new electric platform called ‘RGEV Medium 2.0.’ Unlike Renault’s current electric platforms, this will be an 800-volt architecture designed to underpin vehicles from the B+ to D segments. The platform is intended to be so flexible that it supports all body styles—from saloons to SUVs and vans/MPVs. However, Renault has not yet specified when or with which models the ‘RGEV Medium 2.0’ will debut.
That said, some interesting details have been revealed. By 2030, the platform is expected to enable ‘ultra-fast charging in just ten minutes.’ The battery will feature a cell-to-body architecture with a packing efficiency of 70%. The battery pack is designed to require 20% fewer components and will be compatible with prismatic cells, blade cells, and pouch cells—the latter being highly unusual for cell-to-body concepts. Renault has not disclosed the targeted energy capacity for such battery packs. However, the range is expected to reach up to 750 kilometres under the WLTP cycle for pure electric versions. The platform will also support range-extender powertrains, which could achieve up to 1,400 kilometres in range while emitting less than 25 grams of CO₂ per kilometre.
Two cell chemistries and a new electric motor
Renault is focusing on two cell chemistries: one with high energy density for models with high performance and/or very long range, and a cost-efficient chemistry for compact cars and variants with standard range—likely LFP. The more affordable cell chemistry is also set to be used in the ‘RGEV Medium 2.0’ platform, enabling ‘long ranges’ and short charging times.
Additionally, Renault is planning a new third-generation electric motor without rare earth elements, specifically an externally excited synchronous machine.
“With efficiency of 93% on the motorway and 25% more power, this 275 hp motor will be developed and built in-house, and available in both front and rear-wheel drive versions. Coupled with innovative, scalable “7-in-1” power electronics, this motor will cost 20% less than the previous generation.”
According to the strategy plan, published as a kind of open letter by Provost, the top priority is to ‘prepare the next generations of C-segment electric vehicles with the aim of delivering the highest standards of efficiency, and therefore the best range/cost ratio.’ At this stage, Provost does not provide further detail, as the focus is on the group-wide strategy rather than individual technical decisions for specific models.
Alongside the new electric platform ‘RGEV Medium 2.0,’ Renault’s internal combustion engine portfolio will also continue to be electrified. Hybrid powertrains are set to remain available in Europe beyond 2030, and Provost also plans to introduce further hybrids in international markets—outside Europe, 14 new models are planned under the Renault brand alone. By 2030, Renault aims to sell two million vehicles annually, half of which will be outside Europe. In Europe, all vehicles are to be electrified (either hybrid or fully electric), while outside Europe, half of all sales are to be electrified.
The recently highly successful brand Dacia ‘will continue to gain momentum, applying the same fundamentals and the same philosophy.’ Dacia will thus continue to offer ‘the most competitive offering based on price, cost and value for customers,’ while also expanding into the C-segment. Two-thirds of its sales are expected to be electrified by 2030, thanks in part to four fully battery-electric models. However, no specific BEV sales target has been set.
‘Engineering plays a key role’
Meanwhile, the sports car brand Alpine, which was strongly promoted under de Meo, is set to ‘attract new customers’ with the A290 and A390 models—two fully electric series. Additionally, a new generation of the iconic Alpine model A110 is planned, based on the Alpine Performance Platform (APP), though the type of powertrain has not been specified.
Overall, Provost’s ‘futuREady’ strategy is built on four pillars: growth through new products, accelerated technological advancement in all key areas, ‘ambitious’ targets for operational performance with a broad and consistent use of artificial intelligence, and the consistent implementation of the strategy together with dealers, partners, and suppliers.
“Engineering plays a key role in developing these technologies. In this area, the Group makes full use of in-house expertise and with our suppliers,” Renault states.
Can Renault achieve this alone?
However, the plan is not without risks. The alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi is known to be weakening, and Provost aims to drive development in multiple directions—with unclear prospects for sharing development costs among partners. For instance, alongside fully electric platforms, hybrids are also set to be further developed. On the one hand, Renault plans to use the ‘Software Defined Vehicle’ architecture with central computers in C-segment models based on the RGEV Medium 2.0 platform, and even evolve it into an Artificial Intelligence Defined Vehicle (AIDV) in the future. On the other hand, Renault also intends to “continue relying in parallel on its proven electrical and electronic domain-control architecture”, meaning multiple development paths will be pursued simultaneously in this area as well.
“Becoming Europe’s reference carmaker means setting the ambition to design and produce in Europe products that are best in class in terms of desirability, technology and competitiveness,” Provost states. “In an increasingly competitive environment, this means combining performance and innovation with resilience and robust strength. This is what futuREady is all about.”
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