In three years he resurrected the Renault kingdom from the hell of the Ghosn scandal.
Now he is sharpening his weapons to bring the Europe of cars with him beyond the ford of the industrial war against the USA and China, fighting with the EU leaders to ensure a "coherent, realistic" and decided "by mutual agreement" green transition.
On the eve of the European Commission's communication on the new 'Net-Zero' industrial plan to respond to Washington's green subsidies, the CEO of the French group and newly elected president of the EU car manufacturers (Acea), Luca de Meo, does not send them to say in Brussels: the automotive industry alone cannot bear the burden of cutting emissions by 100% by 2035. The risk is of reaping victims among car manufacturers under the weight of too-fast electrification,
too stringent emission requirements and a lack of common approach.
Accusations also extended to the new Euro 7 directive proposal.
The future route for the president of Acea with his thirty-year career in the majors around the world - Toyota, Fiat, Volkswagen, Seat and Renault - starts from last year's data: 9,255,926 cars were registered in the EU, the 4.6% less than in 2021. The third annual contraction in a row, which hit Italy even harder, where new registrations fell by 9.7%.
This year, in the estimates of the EU manufacturers, "the continental market should start to recover" with about 9.8 million new cars, up 5% compared to 2022. But it still remains 25% below pre-levels -crisis of 2019. Also for this reason "today the European automotive sector is at a turning point and the stakes are very high",
can be read in the words written by de Meo to Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel.
And the turning point starts from the new green business plan to shield the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
With which "the United States, like Beijing with the 'Made In China 2025', stimulate national industry in the green transition, while Europe's approach is to regulate the sector", thunders de Meo.
Two opposing approaches that risk eroding the competitiveness of European industry today at a disadvantage on electricity - starting with raw materials - after having "a long advantage along the value chain of vehicles with internal combustion engines".
"Our competitors hold a lot of cards that we don't have yet" and in order not to let them win, warns the CEO of Renault, "Europe should work together with the automotive industry": discussing the new business plan, the venture proposal critical raw materials law - arriving in March -, the role of the high-tech hybrid in the exit from diesel and petrol, and also Euro 7. For the Milanese manager it is potentially "harmful" by forcing producers "
