The French automobile Renault’s CEO has some doubts that electric vehicles won’t be able to reach gasoline-powered vehicles’ price point soon, as per CarExpert.
“I do not see this parity getting close,” Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo told media, including Automotive News Europe, at the Paris Motor Show.
EV-only in Europe by 2030
However, even with this, the automaker plans to become all-electric vehicles only in Europe by 2030. Being five years ahead of the European Union’s anticipated ban on new internal combustion engine sales.
“I am taking the company there, but ultimately it will be the market, the customers, who will decide if they want to be electric-only,” stated de Meo.
He pointed out that the cost of raw materials is one of the largest obstacles in lowering EVprices, noting that they value 80 percent of battery cost.
“I can come up with better battery chemistry and better power electronics, but these gains would be erased when the price of cobalt doubles in just six months.” says de Meo.
Furthermore, the brand’s boss calls for better recharging infrastructure for automakers to offer smaller, cheaper batteries, stating, “from an environmental point of view, having vehicles with batteries of 150kWH to 200kWh is simply environmental nonsense,”
It is worth noting eight years ago, the CEO said that the industry expected the cost per kilowatt-hour of battery power to lessen by $100 within five years, but prices are visibly not there yet.
New-generation Electric Vehicles
Being one of the early ones in the EV market with Renault’s Zoe, the company will be rolling out new-generation electric vehicles in light and small vehicle segments.
The first of the new-generation electric vehicles is the Megane E-Tech Electric, which will arrive in Australia in 2023.
In addition, 5 concept’s production version will be due in 2024 on the Common Module Family Electric Vehicle (CMF-EV platform), with 100 kW and 160 kW electric motors. It will be followed by an Alpine-based version.
Renault also unveiled its 4Ever Trophy concept, previewing production 4 in 2024 early last week. It is inspired by the company’s iconic vehicles. Both the original 4 and 5 were placed as affordable small vehicles. However, the CEO warned they would be pricier than comparable petrol Renault vehicles.
Dacia Spring & Twingo E-Tech Electric — Europe’s Two Affordable EVs
In addition to its model Zoe, the company also offers two of Europe’s most affordable electric vehicles.
The Dacia Spring starts at €19,800 ($19,507) and is equipped with a 26.8 kWh battery and 230 km of WLPT range, whereas the Renault Twingo E-Tech Electric starts at €24,050 ($23,694) with a 22 kWh battery and 190 km of range.
Moreover, the Renault Group reportedly plans to split itself into EV and internal combustion engine divisions and sell a stake in its engine business to Geely and an unnamed oil company as it focuses on electric vehicles.
The CMF-EV platform is designed by Alliance in response to the development needs of new-generation EVs. It was co-designed by the brand’s partner Nissan, a team of French and Japanese engineers. Capacity, energy management, and onboard experience benefit from the innovations it offers.
