Renault is willing to share vehicle technologies with other carmakers in an effort to lower production costs and increase output, CEO Luca De Meo said on Tuesday, signaling a continued push for industry partnerships despite a recent failed collaboration with Volkswagen.
“We remain fully open,” De Meo told lawmakers during a parliamentary hearing in Rome, adding that technological cooperation — particularly in areas such as vehicle platforms and architecture — could be critical for sectors like small passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
“These normally require huge investments for small margins,” he noted.
Renault had entered into talks with Volkswagen last year to jointly develop an affordable electric version of the Renault Twingo, but Europe’s largest automaker walked away from the discussions after a few months. The French company has previously collaborated with other automakers including Mercedes-Benz and Fiat on select projects.
De Meo warned last week that tightening regulations would significantly raise manufacturing costs, estimating a 20% increase for mid-sized vehicles and a 40% jump for small cars between 2015 and 2030. He also admitted that Renault is currently not turning a profit on some of its small car models.
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Despite recent setbacks, De Meo emphasized the importance of scaling up EV production through shared platforms to remain competitive in an increasingly challenging automotive market.