How to decarbonize the industrial sector? This was the theme of a panel of discussions during the last edition of the ChangeNow show of solutions for the planet held in Paris from April 24 to 26. A symbolic edition since it occurs ten years after the signing of the Paris Agreement and the emblematic decision to maintain the increase in the global average temperature “well below” of 2 ° C compared to pre -industrial levels.
Among the speakers of this panel, Josep-Maria RecasensDirector of the Renault Group and CEO of Ampere strategy, and Cléa MartinetDirector of Sustainable Development of Renault Group and CSO (Chief Sustainability Officer) in Ampere, underlined the extent of the challenges faced by European automotive industry: increased regulations, uncertainties on the evolution of technologies, the volatility of raw material prices, competition from China, geopolitical tensions and their consequences on global trade … Red thread of almost all of these challenges appear the issue of decarbonation and the energy transition to forced march in which the automotive sector is committed to reducing its impact on the climate.
Under the impulse of the Renaulution strategic plan, set up in 2021, Renault Group set out to take up this challenge for decarbonation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) resulting from its activities, upstream and downstream of vehicle manufacturing.
Reduce emissions responsible for global warming
Between 2019 and 2024, the company has indeed managed to reduce co₂e emissions from the use of its vehicles by 40 %, the emissions produced during the manufacturing phase, over the same period, by 50 %.
Several factors explain such results. As part of its Renaulution strategic plan, Renault Group positioned decarbonation at the same level as competitiveness and performance indicators. The objective was to bring a transversal approach to sustainable development at all levels of trades, in all directions of the company.
The electric vehicle, the main lever for the carbonation of the automotive sector
Above all, operating the transition in favor of the electric vehicle is the most radical solution to reduce our impact, underlined Josep Maria Recasens and Cléa Martinet in their intervention in ChangeNow. The electric motorization does not produce emissions to the exhaust, its carbon footprint, calculated on the entire life cycle of the car, is thus reduced by half compared to a thermal vehicle! Today, the company has a dozen electric vehicles within its brands, fifteen if we add hybrid engines.
To accelerate in the field, Renault Group has chosen to create an entity dedicated only to the electric vehicle and software, Ampere, and set up a competitive ecosystem bringing together assembly factories, a production site for electric motors within the Electricity pole, sites to which are added the gigafactories of our AESC and Verkor partners.
The energy transition must guarantee the employability of our employees
The transition to electric requires specific skills and expertise, different from those linked to thermal technology. It requires a substantial effort of training. It is this challenge that also took up Renault Group in recent years thanks to the various training campuses grouped under the umbrella of our business university, Reknow University. Created in 2021, this unique unique university has trained nearly 40,000 people to date.
Democratize the small electric vehicle
Next challenge? Contribute to the boom in the electric car whose share of sales in Europe was still only 13.6 % at the end of 2024. A situation partly awarded to the manufacturing costs of the VE, and therefore at its price. Again, Renault Group relies on its Ampere entity which has already managed to reduce Twingo’s development time from five to two years old. Enough to display an entry price for the car of 20,000 euros.
