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Renault inaugurates an engine assembly line for the Mégane E-Tech
After carrying out renovation work on the site for two years, Renault inaugurated on Tuesday the assembly line of an electric motor of 160 kilowatts, or 220 horsepower. Which is intended for its new flagship model in the field of high-end electric vehicles, the Megane E-Tech.
According to plant manager Thomas Denis, the engine, which is oil-cooled for better performance, is 25% more compact and 15% lighter than that of the Zoé.
Twin brother on the Nissan Ariya
This new engine was developed within the framework of the Alliance with Nissan. Its twin brother, produced in Japan, powers the Japanese brand’s new SUV, the Ariya.
Cléon: flagship site for the production of internal combustion engines in 2021
Cléon remained a flagship production site for thermal vehicles in 2021. Last year, the site’s employees produced 600,000 engines and gearboxes for internal combustion models, as well as 167,000 hybrid engines and 150,000 electric motors, in particular for Zoe.
Doubling of electric motors planned in two years
Production of electric motors is now expected to double within the next two years.
If we add the production of a smaller electric motor for the new R5, production should increase to 500,000 electric and 510,000 hybrid from 2024, with manufacturing of combustion engines dedicated solely to export in 2030.
For Renault’s industrial director, Jose Vicente de los Mozos, “this is an example of industrial transformation”, with “a clear future”. We only ask to believe it…
The plant must also produce from 2027 a 200 kilowatt engine, designed without rare earths, and produced in partnership with the French equipment manufacturer Valeo.
Employment: behind the scenes
At the end of June, Cléon announced the hiring of 100 new employees on permanent contracts in order to “support the site’s electrical transformation”. The internal training center should welcome its first employees in July.
The fact remains that the number of employees has continued to decline at Cléon, in particular within the framework of a departure plan launched by the automotive group in early 2021. “We have 3,096 permanent contracts in activity, while we were at 3,600 two years ago”, underlines William Audoux, representative of the CGT in the factory.
The management counts 3,228 employees. Mr. de los Mozos assuring that the builder “has left no one behind”.
Electric motors require less labor. Renault management thus indicates that the manufacture of the new engine is 60% automated, compared to 40% for the Zoé engine, and between 7 and 30% for a heat engine, depending on the country of manufacture.
Our opinion, by leblogauto.com
The days of 4L, R5 or Twingo engines are long gone. The site, transformed, now meets the “standards” of the times.
Cleon will thus have its place in the future electric entity of Renault. Which must bring together 10,000 employees in France by 2023, with in particular the three factories of its “ElectriCity” division, in Hauts-de-France.
Source: AFP
to summarize
The Renault plant in Cléon launched production on Tuesday of a new electric motor, intended to equip the Mégane E-Tech. The site known until now to be the “thermal temple” is thus accelerating its transition to electricity. The problem of employment should nevertheless arise.
