Not just electric novelties, such as the R5 presented at the Geneva Motor Show, and not just models with petrol hybrid engines which (it was said during the exhibition event) will continue to be offered even after 2030. In
fact, it is moving under the Renault brand a macrocosm of activities that embrace the entire world of mobility and related services, accompanying users in the transformation now underway and the launch of the related future models.
"There have been two major changes in customers' relationships with cars - Fabrice Cambolive, CEO of the Renault brand, told Ansa - First of all with the spread of electrified technologies, but also with the transformation of the way vehicles are purchased with financial products and through monthly payments."
"This requires a great commitment on the part of the car manufacturer on residual value - he reiterated - an aspect that is becoming increasingly important".
This is because with the transition from ownership to leasing, financial products 'move', focusing precisely on the value of the car after the different periods of use".
A question on the dynamics of devaluation of 100% electric models is inevitable at this point, given that Renault has the greatest experience in this area with the ZE (zero emissions) program born in 2009, i.e. a year before that of its ally Nissan.
For Cambolive these doubts were justified in the past because "when we look at the residual values of electric vehicles of a few years ago, these were relatively low because everyone thought there was a risk."
The model that changed the situation was Renault Zoe: "for us it was a nice surprise.
Its battery life went well beyond what we expected, which was 7-8 years.
With experience (over 400 thousand units of Zoe were sold in Europe, ed.) we then realized that it lasted much longer.
Zoe therefore ultimately maintains a good level of residual value".
The CEO of the Renault brand underlined the importance of "being able to maintain this residual value through the management and life of the batteries and through our ability to recondition electric vehicles for make them last another 2, 3 or 4 lifetimes."
"This is ultimately the entire challenge of the value chain of electric cars, which extends right up to the recycling of vehicles and their batteries."
On the topic of purchasing used electric vehicles Cambolive recalled that "Renault certifies the state of use of the batteries.
When the electric vehicle is resold we attach a battery health certificate which highlights its state at that moment.
This is a very important guarantee."
Renault's forecasts on the moment in which the costs of purchasing and using combustion cars will intersect with electric ones, including residual values, are precise.
Also because when presenting the new R5 E-Tech Electric Luca de Meo, CEO of the Group, anticipated a purchase price of less than 25 thousand euros.
Excluding the purchase costs which are falling "already today, using one of our electric models - said Cambolive based on French tariffs - the cost for use is much lower than an internal combustion vehicle. And on the residual values of the electric models we see that they are approximately equivalent to those of internal combustion cars".
The CEO of the Renault brand concluded by reiterating that the 'cost' aspect in a 100% electric model is linked, much more than the thermal ones, to the life cycle and what the company can do.
"It's up to us - he said - to know how to recondition the vehicles precisely to maintain the residual values at very high levels and thus lower the costs for leasing or financing fees".
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