Thierry Bollore's mandate is to make sure Renault remains competitive as it seeks to recoup its multibillion-euro investment in EVs, develops next-generation connectivity and autonomous driving solutions and copes with tougher emissions regulations. Bollore outlined how Renault is tackling these challenges during a recent interview with Automotive News Europe Correspondent Bruce Gain.
The cost of batteries is decreasing and demand for batteries is increasing. When do you expect Renault to start selling 100,000 electric vehicles a year and what effect will that have on the company?
The threshold of 100,000 units is significant. With internal combustion engine cars, when sales total 100,000 units, you begin to benefit from economies of scale. For battery production, this 100,000 unit threshold is also important for the economies of scale. We must reach that milestone as soon as possible. It is just a matter of a few years before we do that. So whether production is 100,000 units or 300,000 units a year, we will be ready.
Battery development is seen as a key factor in the long-term success of EVs. What kind of developments will we see?
Driving range and charging are the two most important metrics. The weight of the battery is also a factor as is the cost. The speed at which the industry is moving when it comes to the development of batteries is exciting. For us, it is important to have a partner for battery development. For Renault, that will continue to be LG and other suppliers.