French automotive supplier Valeo said it has begun production of a reconditioned inverter for Renault’s Zoe electric car in Hungary, expanding its efforts in the circular economy and offering customers a lower-cost alternative to new replacement parts.
The refurbished component, part of Renault’s official spare parts range, is priced 30% lower than a new inverter and cuts natural resource consumption by at least 45%, Valeo said in a statement. The project was developed in collaboration with The Future is Neutral — a Renault-Suez joint venture — and its subsidiary The Remakers, which specializes in automotive recycling and component refurbishment.
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“Each inverter is carefully cleaned, diagnosed, repaired, or has its defective components replaced before receiving a software update and undergoing a complete series of performance tests,” the companies said. Valeo’s industrial remanufacturing process is conducted at its facility in Veszprém, Hungary, where the company ensures the refurbished parts meet the same quality standards as new ones.
Christophe Le Ligné, Valeo’s Vice President of Research & Development, said the initiative is part of the company’s broader sustainability strategy. “Our expertise in remanufacturing enables us to offer the market a high-quality technological product at a more affordable price than new products, with equivalent performance,” he said. “The remanufacturing of power electronics is an essential step in Valeo’s strategy to reduce the environmental footprint of the automotive market and achieve our decarbonization objectives.”
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The program supports Renault Group’s wider circular economy ambitions, spearheaded by The Future is Neutral, which was founded in 2022 and aims to become a European leader in automotive recycling by 2030. The company has announced plans to expand its reconditioned product line, including electric motors, batteries, and power electronics for Renault’s electric vehicle models such as the Zoe, Twingo E-Tech, Kangoo E-Tech, and Megane E-Tech.
Valeo said the cooperation with Renault demonstrates a shared goal to design products with longevity and reusability in mind. The company added that circular economy principles — “based on the construction, repair, reprocessing and recycling” — will remain a cornerstone of its corporate strategy.
