The government will announce "
in the coming weeks
" a new plan to "
support
" the automotive suppliers, penalized by the acceleration of the electric transition of this industry, announced Wednesday the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire.
See alsoAutomobile: the equipment manufacturer Faurecia will hold 79.5% of the German Hella after its takeover
“
The technological transformation of the automotive industry is going much faster than expected.
We are in the process of switching to electric at a much faster rate than expected,
”penalizing equipment manufacturers specializing in components for thermal engines, diesel in particular, explained Bruno Le Maire before the Senate Economic Affairs Committee.
"
Added to this is the increase in energy prices and the cost of inputs
", which puts companies in "great difficulty," he said.
"We will propose with the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister a new automobile plan in the coming weeks aimed at precisely supporting the equipment manufacturers", he therefore announced.
The electric revolution
The minister said he had received, with Jean Castex, the leaders of Renault Luca de Meo and Stellantis (ex-PSA) Carlos Tavares, to discuss this subject. Many manufacturers in the French automotive sector are facing the electric revolution, but also the repercussions of the health crisis and the shortages of components that have shut down many factories.
As the manufacture of electric vehicles requires less labor than thermal engines, the energy transition could cause the sector to lose 65,000 jobs, according to the Automotive Platform (PFA), an association representing the sector.
After the implementation, in May 2020, of an automotive recovery plan endowed with eight billion euros, the sector estimates at 17 billion euros the investments to be located in France within five years.
The PFA assesses the need for public support at 30%.
Read alsoStellantis abandons a reorganization of Opel after pressure from unions
The state granted an additional two billion euros in early October, the breakdown of which has yet to be clarified.
Some equipment manufacturers have been in great difficulty for several years.
The SAM foundry in Aveyron is currently threatened with cessation of activity without a short-term takeover offer, while the Poitou Alu Foundries in Vienne have been in receivership since April.