Carmakers globally are racing to keep ahead of rivals in producing cleaner vehicles, a technology shift that is already prompting Germany's Volkswagen to build six battery cell plants of its own in Europe.
Renault made the announcement, which confirmed earlier media reports, before a visit of President Emanuel Macron to the Douai site in northern France where Envision is investing up to EUR 2 billion (roughly Rs. 17,710 crores) close to Renault ElectriCity electric car hub to create 2,500 new jobs by 2030.
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Renault also said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the French start-up Verkor to co-develop and then manufacture high-performance batteries, with a view to owning a more than 20 percent stake in Verkor.
"The combination of these two partnerships with Renault ElectriCity will create nearly 4,500 direct jobs in France by 2030, while developing a robust battery manufacturing ecosystem in the heart of Europe," the statement said.
Envision AESC's gigafactory in Douai will have a capacity of 9GWh in 2024 and with aim of reaching 24GWh by 2030.
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The proximity of the Envision AESC's gigafactory to Renault ElectriCity production sites at Douai, Maubeuge, and Ruitz, will create 700 additional jobs in the Hauts-de-France region.
© Reuters