« Game-changing » French electric car promises long range without rare earths

Renault’s Electric Crusade: Then, Now, and Next

Renault has gone all in: it’s committed to bringing production back to France and converting its entire fleet to electric power. But don’t think this is just about slapping a battery in an old chassis! The project goes deeper, drawing inspiration from the company’s past to reimagine what an electric future could look like. At a recent Renault Group conference, the CEO, Luca de Meo, hinted at what’s coming down the road for the brand’s lineup.

Paris Motor Show: A Glimpse of What’s Ahead

During the Paris Motor Show—France’s answer to the Geneva or LA Auto Shows—the public got a first look at some of Renault’s upcoming innovations. Among the most eye-catching: three cars set to shape the brand’s future identity. We’re talking about the Renault R5 (yes, that’s a comeback!), the iconic 4L, and the Scenic prototype, dubbed the Renault Morphoz. It’s a nod to nostalgia and a wink at what’s next, all at once.

The Flagship: Tech Details Begin to Emerge

Bit by bit, Renault’s vision for the future is becoming clearer. For its next flagship electric vehicle, specs are starting to trickle out—and they promise quite a leap. Originally considered something of a pipe dream, recent updates from French automotive source l’Argus suggest that this large, feature-rich car is in the works after all.

It’s being developed on an all-new, larger platform called SDV (for Software-Defined Vehicle). Here, software will play an even more pivotal role, and there’s a notable partnership with Google Cloud services. If this sounds a bit Tesla-esque, you’re not wrong—the similarities are intentional. And you can bet autonomous driving tech is at the heart of this platform’s ambitions.

• The motor is targeting a punchy 200 kW output (roughly 272 horsepower), giving plenty of get-up-and-go.
• It’s a team effort between Renault and Valeo (the French automotive supplier), with a clear goal: eliminate rare earths from production. These materials, by definition, are hard to come by and even harder to extract.
• For a bonus of local pride, this high-tech motor will be manufactured in Cléon, France.

Batteries, Voltage, and Even More Innovation

But the innovations don’t stop at the motor. Both the engine and battery system will move up to 800V tech, enabling much faster recharging—crucial for long-range driving and anyone who hates hanging around at charging stations. The battery itself is set for a capacity of 90 kWh and will be produced in Douai, France. (Fun fact: this is also where the rest of the vehicle will be assembled.)

This new electric SUV won’t be cutting corners on computing power, either. The likes of Qualcomm (a global big-hitter in chip design) are developing custom chips for the project. The car’s chassis will integrate one or two supercomputers to keep all that hardware and software humming smoothly together.

The bottom line: Renault aims to become a major contender among electric vehicle leaders—and it’s taking steps both big and careful to ensure that their next flagship is as green as it is high-tech, made in France and designed for the road ahead.