Chinese influence on car design

The automotive market is changing rapidly, largely due to the arrival of Chinese brands in Europe. These brands have a significant impact, particularly in design timelines, as it takes about two years to develop a new car in China compared to three to four years in Europe. Additionally, development costs in China are approximately 40% lower.

Renault's strategic shift

European car manufacturers have had to adapt to this competition, with Renault being one of the companies that has responded by opening two R&D centers in China, notably tasked with designing the new Twingo E-Tech. Fabrice Cambolive, general director of the Renault brand, explained during the Paris Motor Show that Renault no longer seeks to multiply models. Instead, the brand aims to improve its existing cars throughout their lifespan, similar to the approach of Chinese manufacturers.

Future model plans

Renault does not, however, stop the flow of new models. Its future strategic plan, futuREady, foresees 36 new models for the group by 2030, of which 16 will be fully electric, with a significant portion destined for markets outside Europe, including India, South Korea, Latin America, Morocco, and Turkey. At the Motor Show, Cambolive confirmed that the Scénic and Rafale families would be renewed in 2028. Continuous progress is added to a launch schedule that remains full.

Twingo E-Tech development

The Twingo E-Tech has served as a test for Renault's new method. It was developed in 100 weeks, about two years, as part of the Leap 100 program, with a significant part of the engineering carried out at the ACDC center in Shanghai. Olivier Laik, director of the small vehicles program at Renault, stated at the time that the development period was only two years, compared to three to four years usually. The group now wants to bring the development of all its future models down to 100 weeks.

Software updates and profitability

Renault now wants to shorten the development of all its models, even if it means improving them later. The manufacturer wants to rely on over-the-air (OTA) software updates to keep its cars up to date. These updates also allow models to remain in the catalog for longer and thus be more profitable. The Twingo already benefits from this logic in terms of equipment, having recently received the Twingobay panoramic roof, a non-opening option priced at 550 euros. This roof was not originally planned: Renault added it in response to the success of the R4 Plein Sud.

Customer insights and electric strategy

Cambolive is convinced that with electric vehicles, the company has entered a practice of continuous progress. He noted that Renault has much more immediate information on customer behavior, such as the number of kilometers driven, whether on the highway, and how many times they charge per week. This allows the company to adjust the vehicle's characteristics very quickly without waiting for a restyling or a new generation, which would arrive a few years later.

Competing with Chinese brands

By doing so, the French brand wants to compete on the same ground as its Chinese rivals. In parallel, Renault plans to make its electric cars more affordable, relying more than ever on LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) chemistry. This chemistry already equips the Twingo and the R5 E-Tech in its Five version, with a 36.5 kWh battery, and the future R4 Jogging will also have access to it by the end of 2026.

Production and investment in France

However, Renault still intends to produce its cars in France and plans to increase the production rate by 50% over the next 12 months. This figure is part of a broader increase. François Provost, general director of Renault Group, announced on franceinfo that the group's production in France would increase by more than 25% this year thanks to its electric cars. He also expects more than 10 billion euros in investments in France over the next five years, provided that France remains stable on the political and financial planes.