BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT (dpa-AFX) - French carmaker Renault (RNSDY.PK, RNSDF.PK, RNT.L) announced Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with the representative trade unions for the future of the Renault sites in the Hauts-de-France region.
The deal, which is part of the Renaulution strategic plan, will result in the launch of Renault ElectriCity. The new legal entity would group together the sites of Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitz in northern France, with nearly 5,000 employees. It will be the largest and most competitive electric vehicle production centre in Europe.
The representative trade unions include CFDT, CFE-CGC, CFTC, CGT, FO and SUD.
Renault ElectriCity aims to produce 400,000 vehicles per year by 2025, and will contribute to the creation of 700 direct jobs spread across the various sites by 2025 and a university and training centre.
Renault plans to create 700 permanent jobs between 2022 and the end of 2024, with 350 new hires at the Maubeuge site and 350 new hires spread over the Douai and Ruitz sites.
Renault will also participate in innovation initiatives in partnership with start-ups and specialised entities to support future developments in the automotive world by participating in 'Incubator' type initiatives.
Douai plant is expected to produce its first electric vehicle, Mégane E-Vision, from 2021 on the Alliance's new modular CMF-EV platform. On the same platform, Douai will be assigned a new C-segment vehicle.
Maubeuge site manufactures New Kangoo, New Kangoo Van for Renault and its partners Mercedes and Nissan and will produce New Kangoo E-Tech Electric in 2022.
Ruitz plant will host a new electrical components manufacturing activity.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX