Renault

The legendary Renault plant in Valladolid is “reinvented” with an old acquaintance: the combustion engine

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The historical map of car factories in Spain is blurring with the evolution of the industry and the transition towards electrification, which has brought an unequal destiny for all of them: uncertain future of Ford in Almussafes to the Cupra bastion in Martorell. In the middle of the peninsula and emulating the village of Asterix and Obelix, an irreducible combustion engine factory that still resists: the Renault of Valladolid. But staying with the combustion engine does not mean staying stuck in the past: the historic Valladolid plant, which has such iconic models behind it as the Renault 4 CVpromises to continue writing history with Tilting Gravity Die Casting, the technique that changes how the heart of hybrid engines is manufactured. And Valladolid is the first factory in Spain to use it. New technology and more production. Horse Powertrain has invested 45 million euros at the Valladolid plant to install a head gasket manufacturing line using the Tilting Gravity Die Casting process, the first with this technology in the state. The new facility, which will occupy 3,500 square meters, will increase cylinder head manufacturing by 20% (from 300,000 to 360,000 units) and will require 150 new permanent jobs. Context. We are talking about the old Renault from Valladolid, but it has little of that 1953 Renault: today it is powered by Horse Powertrain, a joint venture formed by Renault 45%, Geely 45% and Aramco 10%. The formation is not coincidental: Geely provides the Chinese technological muscle, Renault its experience in the sector and the Saudi oil company is more than just financial muscle: it is interested in the combustion engine having the longest possible run. In Valladolid, Horse does not manufacture cars: it manufactures the hybrid E-Tech engines of the Captur, Symbioz, Clio, Austral and Rafale, the “heart” of a good part of the Renault range in Europe. And not only from Renault, but also from the group’s brands, which makes it strategic in that a single engine can end up in several different models. Why is it important. The bet is not minor: Valladolid is one of Horse Powertrain’s most strategic plants, which confirms that this is not a local experiment but a first-class industrial decision. The new technology allows engines to be manufactured with a more precise design and greater durability, something essential for hybrids, whose constant start-stop cycle subjects the components to greater thermal stress than a conventional engine. And the context justifies it: although almost one in five cars sold in Europe is already electric96% of those circulating they still have a non-plug-in motor. An inertia of more than 250 million vehicles that will not disappear in a decade. At a business level, the support is unquestionable. Its CEO highlighted that this investment “further demonstrates Valladolid’s leadership as a world-class automotive plant.” On the other hand, it is the first plant of this type in Spain and has been considered as a Priority Industrial Project by the Government of Castilla y León. What is Tilting Gravity Die Casting. Head gaskets are traditionally made of aluminum through a molding process, which leads to the possibility of air bubbles forming inside. And if there are bubbles, there will be microporosities and the structure will therefore be weaker. The TGDC solves this in a seemingly simple way: the aluminum no longer falls into the mold, but rather the mold is tilted so that it flows slowly and uniformly, thus minimizing turbulence and the risk of air. Bridging the distances, like when you pour beer into a glass. The result is a more homogeneous and structurally more integral piece that better withstands use and deterioration. In addition, this method requires less machinery and shortens production cycles. The push of Spain in the European industry. At the 2024 Paris motor show, then-Renault CEO recognized that the French unions were demanding the hybrid vehicle projects in Valladolid and Palencia due to the lack of demand for their electric models in the Douai and Maubege factories, however this latest movement is a complete “non, merci”: Spain not only does not give up production but also expands and modernizes it. Spain is the second state that manufactures the most vehicles in the old continent and this operation reinforces that position in the segment that endures the most: the hybrid. The question that remains in the air is whether De Meo’s successor will maintain the same commitment to Spanish plants in the face of French union pressure. Renault’s roadmap, which the brand plans to update soon, will give clues. In Xataka | Renault is a firm defender of the hybrid car and has its key factory in Valladolid. We have been there to know your future In Xataka | Given the tariffs on China, the CEO of Renault is clear who the European electric car should imitate: China Cover | Xataka

The owner of Volvo and partner of Renault will also sell Chinese electric cars in our country

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It is possible that if you are not very up to date with the automobile market, the word Geely may not be very familiar to you. Yes, it is more likely that Lotus will tell you something else. And you surely know Smart and Volvo. Any of them, any of those companies that were once European, are owned by Geely, one of the largest Chinese automotive groups in the country. Now, the company lands in Spain with its own brand. Yes, Geely in addition to owning a portfolio with up to 16 brands Under his direction, he also has his own car company. So that we understand it quickly and easily, just as the Volkswagen Group has the Volkswagen brand or as Renault owns Dacia but, of course, sells cars under the Renault brand. Geely, therefore, will arrive in our country with two electrified models. Its presence, as is evident from the first and mentioned brands, is already palpable in Spain but now it will have its own vehicles on the street, with its distribution network separate from any other company and with two SUVs that point to the present and future of the brand. Geely arrives in Spain To have a general photograph of Geely and know what is behind this new brand, the first thing you should know is that in 2024 they became the first Chinese manufacturer to establish itself as one of the 10 most important automotive companies in the world. Shortly after, the brand has been surpassed by the enormous muscle of BYD but In 2025 it managed to put 3.02 million on the market of cars counting only the companies born under its umbrella (without adding Volvo or Smart). With the latter he reached the 4.12 million units sold and was positioned as the ninth largest automotive group in the world, exceeding 2024 sales by 800,000 units. For its arrival in Spain, the company has announced two vehicles. Geely E5 He Geely E5 It is an electric SUV with 160 kW (218 HP) and a maximum range of 475 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle. It will be available with two battery sizes (60.22 kWh and 68.79 kWh) developed in-house. In the press release, Geely does not confirm the total peak power and only mentions that it will go from 30 to 80% autonomy in 20 minutes. Geely Starray EM-i On the other hand, the Geely Starray EM-i It is a plug-in hybrid with a combined power of 262 HP where the greatest weight of its dynamics falls on the electric motor that reaches 160 kW (218 HP). It also has two battery options (18.4 kWh and 29.8 kWh) that increase the total range of the set up to 943 kilometers in the mixed cycle. At the moment, Geely does not specify its autonomy in fully electric mode. It is to be hoped that, little by little, we will learn more details about these two new models, especially in their commitment to software and digital functions focused on the user. We do know that this latest plug-in hybridization system has been developed in the heart of Horse, the joint venture that Geely maintains with Renault to continue looking for solutions focused on combustion engines. Regarding its distribution, Geely says that it is developing a network of nationwide dealers “supported by partners with extensive experience and deep knowledge of the local market.” It is to be expected, therefore, that at least in the first months and years its distribution will be supported by the large groups that have been supporting brands such as BYD or the Chery Group. And the Chinese companies are making a strong investment in dealerships to give customer confidence. At the moment, the Chinese company has not set a specific date for us to see these cars on the street but it does set a deadline of “the first half of 2026”, so in the next four months we should have all the details. It must be taken into account that Geely is making clear efforts to expand its market with its own brands. We recently learned that is interested in entering the United Statesdespite the fact that the geopolitical context is complicated. It has also been rumored that it could occupy part of the Ford plant in Almussafes. Movement is key in an ultra-competitive Chinese market that is slowing down and Spain has shown interest in the firms arriving from this country, especially among entry-level vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Photo | Geely In Xataka | MG, BYD, Lynk&Co, Omoda: who’s who of Chinese car manufacturers in Spain

Ford will have two electric cars based on the Renault 5. It is confirmation of a Ford that is diluted in Europe

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Ford will have at least six electric cars on the market. Four of them will not be “purely Ford” cars. And the American company has confirmed that it has reached an agreement with Renault to provide the brand with two “affordable” electric cars. The agreement also contemplates a future partnership for commercial vehicles. But above all, a concept floats in the air: what Ford do we expect for Europe? Two electric made in Renault. With a press release, Ford and Renault have confirmed that the first will use the Ampere platform to launch two “affordable” electric cars on the market in the coming years. The first, they point out from Ford, should reach dealerships in the early stages of 2028. That is to say, what seems certain is that we will see a kind of Renault 5 with the Ford logo. The question is whether we will see a second electric car based on the Renault 4 (to expand spectrum with something B-SUV type) or based on the Twingo to look for another type of client. For now, everything indicates pointing to new Renault 5 and 4 Ford. In France. These Ford cars with a French flavor will even be manufactured in Electricitythe plant that Renault has in France and where the aforementioned come from Five and Fourhence it is the couple that we will probably see on the street. The arrival of these new models is also a boost to the factory itself. It is where Renault’s small electric models are assembled, but also the Nissan Micra (brother of the Renault 5). They have the capacity to continue expanding production and had options from Alpine, Dacia or Mitusbishi, which are also part of the Renault Group or are collaborators. The arrival of the new Ford is an endorsement for a plant that has the capacity to assemble up to 620,000 vehicles annually. Ford, what Ford? In the statement, Ford wanted to mark territory and defend that the new cars that leave the French plant will have the hallmarks of the oval brand. “The two cars will feature distinctive driving dynamics, authentic Ford brand DNA and an intuitive user experience,” the company says. The truth is that in the medium term, Ford will have six electric cars on the market and four of them are mounted on external platforms. Thus, only the Puma Gen-E and the Mustang Mach-E They are purely Ford cars. The ford explorer and Capri have been launched on the basis of Volkswagen’s MEB, with the ID.4 as a brother of the Americans. Now two more electric cars will arrive from outside the company. The two speeds. The announcement does nothing more than reaffirm the strategy that Ford seems to have decided for Europe. The company has long been talking about a company at two speeds where the vehicles with the highest cost for the customer (and benefits for the company) are manufactured by Ford with its hallmarks and sold in exclusive families within the company itself such as Ford, Raptor or Bronco. The rest of the models, such as electric ones, for which you must make big investments and whose financial results are not being too good due to slower customer reception than expected, is what is being left in the hands of third parties. That is to say, Ford is trying to focus its efforts and make its highest-cost investments in those models that it knows work best for them. This has a counterpart. The brand risks being diluted between models that have their personal touch, like the Explorer, but where there is no doubt that they have a very characteristic Volkswagen car flavor. This strategy of “third party” models for Europe endangers the company’s brand image and could place it in a less dominant position if in the future they want to return to making their own investments for the European market. And Valencia? The announcement adds to the future Ford Bronco Sport for Europe, a model that will be assembled in Valencia, according to Automotive Newsand that comes to keep the plant alive with a “Europeanization” of the American model based on the Ford Kuga. A few weeks ago, The Automotive Tribune It also pointed out this possibility and that another second model would arrive at the Valencian plant. This strategy would help keep the factory alive by assembling models with combustion engines while electric ones (which require greater investment and lower return at low prices) are being left in the hands of third parties. Photo | Renault and Ford In Xataka | Until now, on Amazon you could buy practically everything except cars. That just changed with Ford

Renault is already pushing for Europe to copy the Chinese model

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The statements have been as concise as they are clear: “You cannot come to Europe and build four plates with wheels and seats with little added value. What we have to do is commit them to teach us, to come with products with added value. We did not do it like that when we went to China, they should not do it when they come to Europe” The words are from Josep Maria Recasens, president of Renault Spain, and reflect in three sentences the situation that the industry is experiencing in Europe, its internal debates and its fears. Added value. This is what Recasens has demanded at the 1st Automotive Forum, organized by the Automotive Press Group to which it belongs. The Automotive Tribune. The president of Renault Spain, who is also the president of ANFAC (the manufacturers’ association in our country) has demanded that Europe force Chinese brands to associate with European ones so that they “teach us” how they make their products. In Recasens’ opinion, Europe is opening the door to Chinese brands, allowing them to build “four plates with wheels and seats with little added value.” It is a veiled statement that points to the Chinese factories that are settling in our country but that, however, plan to produce vehicles based on kits that already come pre-assembled from China. What do they teach us? When the president of Renault asks that the European Union force Chinese manufacturers “to teach us” it is for two reasons. The first is that China forced foreign manufacturers to partner with their local firms to produce on its soil. What did they earn? Obviously, knowledge. Just take a look at the MG4 Electric to understand the extent to which its partnership with Volkswagen has borne fruit. At the same time, foreign manufacturers could produce at a much lower price and had access to the largest market in the world. What, we assume, they did not imagine is that China was going to surpass the West. Yes, let them teach us. The second point referred to in “let them teach us” is evident: the president of Renault and Anfac recognizes that, at least in part, China is ahead. And the French company itself has gone to Shanghai to develop your Renault Twingoa car whose heart has been created internally in China in record time for the European industry. But there have also been curious situations such as Mazda has brought the Mazda 6e to Europea car developed by Changan in China that, given its success, they have decided to test on European soil with a groundbreaking price per size. And the warnings don’t end there. The industry has entered a fever to shorten deadlines and approaching the times of Chinese development. The consultants warn that, at the level of quality, there is no difference with the Europeans. Others warn Japanese firms that their extreme attention to detail and conservative evolutions they may have left them behind. In question. Recasens’ words also emphasize the misgivings that have arisen among European manufacturers seeing how Chinese companies are arriving on our soil. With the intention of stopping the arrival of Chinese electric cars at knockdown prices, Europe applied variable tariffs to each brand depending on the supposed help they have received from the Chinese Government in the form of soft loans or the transfer of land. The promise is that they would not pay if they manufactured in Europe. But the first factories are also in question. Chery opted for assemble car kits in Barcelona. That is, cars that arrive almost assembled from the other side of the world and to which the final touches are given in the Spanish city. Now, the European Union is studying whether or not the electric Omoda 5 has to pay tariffs by understanding that added value is not being created around the production of said car. But not only Chery. The Chery case was the first but it has not been the only one. Stéphane Séjourné, vice president for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy of the European Commission, has assured the Italian newspaper La Stampa that the institution also has the factory in its sights BYD in Hungary or the plans that CATL has in Europe (including those that has in Spain with Stellantis). According to Séjourné, “it is not right” that these companies are manufacturing their cars in Europe with Chinese components and Chinese employees, noting that their investment in creating a local network of suppliers is minimal. A good example is the CATL battery production plant in Aragón where it is expected that employ 2,000 Chinese employees. Photo | ANFAC and Renault In Xataka | Before opening its gigafactory, Zaragoza has a pending task: create a “chinatow” for 2,000 Chinese workers

With Renault doing combat drones

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It happened in World wars of the last century, and has passed again in Ukraine after the invasion of Russia. We talk about the factor conversion Automotive in military production plants, a story that was news again a few months ago in Germany when the almighty Rheinmetall, the largest defense contractor, began to negotiate with Volkswagen himself To convert one of its plants in tank producer. However, the news that has been known in the last hours is, perhaps, even more surprising. France does not want to be left behind. It We have counted Before, the Ukraine War has transformed in just three years the Combat drone In the tactical weapon more influential of the 21st century, relegating many traditional doctrines to the archive and forcing European powers to adapt to a war reality that moves through invisible swarms, artificial intelligence and remote maneuvers. In that context, France has decided not to be left behind. THE PACT. The most recent and surprising announcement: the collaboration between Renault and a French SME of the defense sector To produce drones Combat in Ukrainian soil, a movement that marks a radical turn in the industrial strategy of Paris. As The Minister of Defense explained Sébastien Lecornu, it is a “Win-Win” agreement with Ukraine, in which the automotive group joins a specialized firm to establish assembly lines within the country at war (exact locations have not been revealed for obvious reasons for security). Nor has it specified what type of models, although it is known that They will be destined both to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the French army, which seeks to train with systems directly developed in the real operating environment. Local production with Ukrainian brain. The essence of the agreement is, not only in the physical transfer of the assembly chains to Ukraine, but in the Explicit trust deposited in the experience of Ukrainian technicians, engineers and operators. Lecornu lo has expressed clearly: “They are better than us designing drones and, above all, developing the accompanying doctrine.” In fact, French personnel will not be sent to factories: production will be completely national In Ukrainian terms, reinforcing kyiv’s war economy at the same time and France’s military learning capacity. This synergy between real -time tactical knowledge and heavy industrial capabilities puts Ukraine in a central position as a warpacket pole. The most notorious example: the “Spiderweb” operationin which drones hidden in civil trucks were deployed thousands of kilometers from the border, attacking Russian aerodromes in Siberia. These tactics, impossible to anticipate only a decade ago, today are raw material for military strategy from all over. A European industry. The truth is that France It is not the only power that has decided to manufacture in Ukraine. The trend comes long and we count it last week: Europe bets for making the country invaded by Russia its new defense platform. Finland has already established A production plant of drones with local partners and start mass production in 2025. The Netherlands have committed 700 million euros To this industry, the United Kingdom will invest additional hundreds next year, and Norway has Redi -retracted military funds specifically for the development and manufacture of Ukrainian drones. In parallel, NATO has decided to institutionalize this impulse with a specific mechanism of Armament productionannounced at the last Ramstein summit. No doubt, for Ukraine, that plans to manufacture more than 4.5 million drones By 2025, these agreements represent a vital source of resources, technology and industrial legitimacy. France to counterreloj. Despite its historical influence on military, France has been one of the great lags in the technological career of the drone. Such and as he acknowledged General Jean-Paul Perruche, former director of the EU military General Staff, the country spoke of drones already in the 80s, but the lack of “important” conflicts caused development to stagnate, while the United States, China and even advanced. Today, the French army has Around 3,000 dronesa modest figure compared to the Ukrainian vision of millions deployed in the coming months. A fact to place it in perspective: in the front, the 70% of destruction Russian team is already attributed to drones, not tanks or classical artillery. France, like other allies, is recognizing that the unmanned revolution is no longer a promise of the future, but a present unquestionable. The war as a catalyst. In short, France has made the decision to be Main actor in Ukraine with a collaboration that has several readings and with the symbolic figure of Renault on the front. These ties between one of the most historical car companies on the planet and the military industry is not just an example of pragmatic adaptation to a prolonged conflict: it is also a sign that the 21st century defense economy is already does not distinguish between civil and military. The alliance with Ukraine, based on a logic of complementarity (experience in combat by kyiv, industrial capacity by Paris) represents a New cooperation model European against hybrid and prolonged threats. While the battlefield is digitized and the airspace becomes a swarm Of sensors, ammunition and cameras, the drone is no longer just an accessory, it is the backbone of the modern military strategy. On that board, Ukraine is positioned as the experimental laboratory more relevant From the planet, and France (with Renault) does not want to lose that train. Image | Wikimedia, Rawpixel In Xataka | The US is leaving Ukraine without help, so Ukraine has proposed something to Europe: you give me the money, I manufacture my arms In Xataka | We believed that the large numbers of soldiers dead in combat were a thing of the past. Until the Ukraine War arrived

I have left a weekend with the Renault 5. This is all that awaits who is bought a cheap electric car

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He Renault 5 It has become one of the electric cars of the moment. The update of its classic lines has been so good that it has been attracting the eyes of those in a day -to -day basis following the current engine but, surprisingly, of those who are oblivious to it and only approach when they have to buy a car last eight, ten or twelve years. In fact, I have already told that it is one of the cars with which I have felt more observed. I would not lie if I said that they have asked me more times about the car and more necks have turned with this car than driving authentic beasts of Lamborghini by northern Italy. I have had the feeling that it is the first electric car in which people tell me that I would be willing to buy for being the car that is, regardless of whether or not it is electric. But can you cover the needs as it did, for example, a Renault Twingo (which will also have electric reissue) or a Renault Clio? Can that car for almost exclusive city use but with which we can move no matter where or when? Let’s analyze it. A weekend with the Renault 5 Imagine, we are thinking of buying a Renault 5. We accept that it can be a bit more expensive than the competition because we like its aesthetics, we value how well finished it is inside and we want a car with a tact of direction and brake superior to its rivals. We are very clear that the use we are going to give is to move through the city and its periphery on a day -to -day basis. But of course, we have a car at home and we want to leave a weekend With friends or children. Nor do we want to go very far, a two or three hours trip to get out of the routine and return on Sunday with recharged batteries. In our case, we left Madrid. We have almost loaded batteries. We have been making some message first thing about the day but we have 90% battery. That is, of its 52 kWh capacity we have about 47 kWh. We arrive home, set up the bags and set up to our destination. In this case: Trujillo (Extremadura). I have stayed with a couple of friends in the four wind subway. We will go three people, with our respective luggage. Soon we discover that a trunk is not left over but we put the luggage without much difficulty. Ahead we have 252 kilometers and we do not plan to make them 80 km/h with the air conditioning off. Soon we go to the highway and as soon as we leave Móstoles behind, we put cruise control. Without exceeding we start eating kilometers. At 120 km/h, the travel computer tells us that we do not arrive, that we have to stop before. And the calculations begin. I look at consumption and the figure is immovable: 22 kWh/100 km. Fast, the accounts. If 22 kWh give us to do 100 kilometers … Indeed, we do not arrive. The 47 kWh that we have left in batteries should not let us make more than 225 kilometers. That is, we would have 25 kilometers ahead before arriving in Trujillo. But the browser tells us that we stop much before. About 150 kilometers after starting the march. We start the mathematical game and take electromaps. Shortly before arriving in Trujillo there is a quick charger. But it is too close to Trujillo, it would be a lot to trust that we would arrive and it would be worth reducing the speed. Another option is in a town called Romangordo. But it forces us to deviate and the load is 50 kW. We discard. Almaraz is at kilometer 200 and that convinces us more. In a service route next to the road there are loaders of Tesla and Zunder. Those of Tesla carry 150 kW and those of Zunder at 350 kW. Let’s ignore the second because the Renault 5 loads to a maximum of 100 kW. Using a plug superior to that power leads us to spend more money (the more powerful the charger, the more the rate the general rule) but we will continue loading a maximum of 100 kW. We have done the calculations well and we had very little load on the battery. We arrived with 10% of it. We were calm because about 20 kilometers before arriving in Alamaraz there is another fast wene plug and two other fast plugs. We had a well covered network. Aware that there is charger at the destination, the stop will be a little matter. In fact, we lengthened it. We stretch the legs a little, we take a soda and between hesitation and hesitant of “With my diesel I make a Bilbao-Tarifa without stopping” half an hour has spent. The car is 80% of the load. That is, we have about 42 kWh in the bedroom. We could about 170 kilometers ago. We have 50 kilometers ahead but we can move with some ease through nearby peoples. In fact, the next day we will visit the Monfragüe National Park and there we will decide where to go. We have available a 50 kW charger in a couple of nearby towns and in Plasencia, a larger population, we have plugs of all kinds to load while we eat. We return to Trujillo On Saturday night and we have 20% battery. We take the opportunity to see the city. We leave the car loading and take a walk. Now the goal is to load it completely to resume the way back to Madrid with full battery. Aware that we have hours ahead, we put the car to load in an 11 kW plug. It is cheaper and we are going to spend that morning or yes away from the … Read more

Renault and Geely have an engine to convince the undecided of the electric car. The secret is that it is combustion

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We are on the way to a future in which the electric car He has ballots to become the winning option. There are countries that They are already betting Very strong for the electric ones, so much that they are even unseating combustion. But, for many others, the conventional car It is still the best option. And it is for autonomy, for the ease of reposting and because there are places with underdeveloped load networks. This is something that Chinese manufacturers themselves, who bet so much on the electric ones, have assumed. In fact, Cherywhich is the company that owns omoda and Jaecoo, is finalizing the Landing of its combustion cars in Spain. But, of course, companies do not forget that electrified future and want to create a bridge between combustion and 100% electric for the user to jump safely. And what is that bridge? A combustion engine to “hybridize” the electric ones for which Renault and Geely are betting hard. The combustion engine to convince the ‘haters’ of the electric Here we must talk about Horse PowerTrain. This is a company whose 45% belongs to the French Renault, another 45% to Geely and 10% to Aramco. It is a call Joint Venture To boost New systems automotive, especially electrified due to Geely’s experience. And the truth is that his approach is … curious. And it is because they have been looking for an engine capable of giving life to the calls “extended electric cars “. Also known as E-Rev (Extended Range Electric Vehicle), these cars have one or more electric motors that feed on a battery. So far, they are a conventional electric, okay, but special thing is that they have an additional engine: combustion. Each manufacturer has its system, but it is basically a car that behaves like an electric, but When the battery reaches a certain level, the combustion engine is turned on And it is not the one that moves the wheels, but the one that generates electricity, feeds the battery and allows electric motors to have energy to continue driving the wheels. The difference with a conventional hybrid is that this combustion engine is never the one that drives the car, and the great advantage is that this fuel engine is like a huge battery that allows autonomies that, until the arrival of the solid state batteriesthey seem complicated for 100%electric. Reviewed the theory, let’s hort. A few weeks ago we told you that the company will try one of these engines, The promising Spanish engine e-rexbut we also see that they will not put all the eggs in the same basket. In the Shanghai Motor Show that is celebrated this week (in which my partner Javier Lacort is), And how we read in Bloombergthe general director of Horse has commented that they have prepared an engine that can “integrate without problems into the construction platforms of electric vehicles with battery.” Matias Giannini, in addition, has commented that “the concept will allow car manufacturers to offer diversity in propulsion systems, with minimal alteration in its production process and in the use of resources.” Thus, if a brand has 100% electric, but wants a hybrid, I would not have to develop a new platform To include a large conventional engine, but to alter minimally the one that has already available for your electric only to introduce that small additional combustion engine. And they don’t have one, but two: Gemini – A 1.0 -liter generator, 2 cylinders and a very compact power that works with mixtures of methanol and gasoline. Another 1.0 liters, 3 cylinders and a power of 86 kW compatible with flexible fuels and an integrated electric generator. This, by the way, is manufactured at the Curibita facilities in Brazil and Valladolid in Spain. In the first statement, Giannini commented that these engines will be on the street at some point in 2028, and it is only a matter of time to see what arrives before: if the solid state batteriesthe consolidation of the E-REV (BMW, Nixssan or Mazda They already have some models) or if by 2028 everything will continue as until now. Or, simply, the future of the electric may not be as binary as we think, but this intermediate hybridization. Images | Horse Powertrain In Xataka | Family and friends keep asking me if “it is worth buying a Chinese car.” This is my answer

Renault asks Japan to copy and make “small cars that people can buy.” The truth is that we don’t want them

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The automobile market has forgotten small and simple cars. It is a reality for which it should be a perfect mobility solution for the middle European citizen. Now, Luca De Meo is committed to prioritizing the “small cars that people can buy.” But do these words make sense? “We don’t do it”. Because they are “unproductive,” according to Luca de Meo. Of those who speak are of small cars, of those of smaller size that, for the CEO of Renault, have completely killed European regulations. “We have to make small cars that people can buy again,” he said in an interview with Auto.it. “It is difficult for a regulator to know more than an engineer which is the best solution. Let’s leave engineers the best solution to reduce the impact of CO2,” said Meo to the questions of the Italian medium. The problem? For the CEO of Renault it is clear: “European regulation in the last 20 years has failed.” And this has been because “it was driven by the Germans, who wanted to make the most complex cars, because it suited them. That has had a devastating effect in other producing countries such as France, Italy and a little in Spain where people buy small cars because they do not have money or do not enter the cities.” The solution? Have your own regulation that It resembles that of Kei Car Japanese. These cars are extremely small, they cannot exceed 3.4 meters long or 1.48 meters wide. Nor equip yourself with an engine greater than 660 cc or 64 hp. In return, cars are not considered as such and, therefore, They do not have restriction problems that traditional vehicles in large cities have. In return, MEO slides not only the idea of ​​promoting small vehicles with new legislation, it also chooses to reduce the mandatory safety elements in cars of this size. “We were forced to add a security equipment valued at 400 euros. That on a Renault Twingo is a lot of money, in a sedan it is much less.” Too expensive. It is a usual criticism of the price of cars. They are too expensive for the client to allow them. Actually, although in recent years the price increase has been very pronounced, a car is cheaper now than 50 or 60 years ago. However, the ability to access the low range has been reduced. Pressing for other expenses of enormous cost, such as housing, the Spanish average citizen is opting for low -end vehicles when acquiring a new car. In what we have been, The best -selling car is Dacia Sanderofollowed by the MG ZS, the two cheapest cars in its segment. He is accompanied by Nissan Qashqai who has recently dropped price and the Renault Captur and Seat Arona, cars that barely exceed 20,000 euros starting. It does not come profitable. In his words, Luca de Meo is part of reason. Match the cheapest cars in safety equipment with the highest cost Price irremediably increases of this type of vehicles. By European regulationsthe cheapest car that is sold in our continent must have, among other systems, emergency braking, lane output alert or rear camera. However, it is also unquestionable that this equipment is an extra security for drivers who put themselves at the controls of a car. Although from Dacia (from the Renault Group) They have removed value for these measuresthese types of obligations guarantee a minimum of possible accidents to all drivers. Do we buy them? Luca de Meo’s words sound very good but … are we interested? If we attend to the number of Enrollments in our countryurban vehicles (such as the aforementioned Twingo) barely register 1.4% of registrations. They are the compact and the C-SUV (comparable by size) the most purchased vehicles in Spain, accumulating 48.5% of registrations. A segment followed by the utilities and B-SUV, which total 39.6% of the enrollment. Expanding the views to the rest of Europe, Discriminate Acea to vehicles in traditional sizes. A+B for utilities and urban (those of smaller size), followed by compact (c), medium size (d) and luxury (e and f). However, take the SUVs out of these categories. According to these data, in 2023 segment A and B that De MEO considers among the best selling remained at 21%, while the SUVs accumulated 51% of the registrations (between three and four times more than a decade ago). The little ones (taking into account that they add two segments) are not so far from 15% that compact accumulate. Do we want them? It is the other big question. According to the registration, we prefer larger vehicles. But, in addition, there is another constant: commercial failures among smaller vehicles. Although most European citizens make their daily journeys in urban environments, cars dedicated exclusively to the city remain little dear. WE HAVE SMART EXAMPLEconsidered a car too expensive despite being extremely useful in the European cities of intricate streets in historical and difficult parking helmets. Photo | In Xataka | If you have 155,000 euros in your pocket, now you have another doubt: buy the new Renault 5 Electric Turbo or a Porsche 911

Buy the new Renault 5 Turbo Electric or a Porsche 911

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He RENAULT 5 TURBO 3E It already has a market exit. The most radical electric version of the small French car promises to be a before and after in a category that is still to be developed: that of the sports electric car. He will do it with figures that scare but are up to what he promises. Because if you were thinking about picking up the phone and reserving one of the 1,980 units that Renault will put on sale, you should know that the deadline has already been opened. The price to be paid: 50,000 euros. With that payment you will have preference to one of the first 500 units that are put in the market and, in addition, a special price: 155,000 euros. As Renault has revealed, those interested will have to fill out a form On this website. It is requested that a specific dealership be selected and, later, it will be the brand that is responsible for contacting the client. Once this first procedure is over, the client can customize his order throughout the next year and wait for one of the first deliveries in 2027 when the car will be launched definitively. In this customization process you can contact a meeting with the Renault design team to define all kinds of details. The company specifies that the seats, doors panels, the dashboard can be customized … but you can also opt for classical decorations such as the red grenade or black, yellow and white classic that pay tribute to the winner of the Corsica Rally in 1982 and that we have seen in the promotional images. Why does an electric car have less autonomy than the announcing A unique car in the market The French have also taken the opportunity to confirm that the Renault 5 Turbo 3E will star in a tour of the dealers of Madrid, Paris, Brussels and other European cities. Finally, this summer we will see at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, one of the great appointments for speed lovers. The Renault 5 Turbo 3E serves the company to test to what extent the gum of nostalgia can stretch. The price is so high that it equals that of a Porsche Taycan GTSa 700 hp car that accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and has a battery with a size of 105 kWh for what it can do without clearing more than 500 real kilometers without stopping to recharge. Therefore, Renault’s bet cannot be more passionate. It enters an unknown land for the company offering, without any doubt, the most expensive electric car of the moment in relation to the price and size of its battery. Of course, it is also a car that promises to open a before and after in its category. The Renault 5 Turbo 3E is pending approval but has already announced that it will offer 540 hp of power that will deliver them with two rear engines. Its 4,800 NM motor pair breaks all the schemes for a car just 4.08 meters long. Until now, the most expensive and powerful options among electric cars have represented huge gigantic berling or SUVs. The biggest problem has been to introduce a battery large enough to feed powers of hundreds of power CV in a small car. This Renault 5 Turbo 3E will mount a 70 kWh battery with 800 volts structure promising loads of up to 350 kW (right now the fastest loads are about 250 kW and are totally exceptional). They hope to go from 15 to 80% capacity in 15 minutes. In addition, there was another problem added to the sportsmanship of electric cars. The weight was too high. Renault has done everything possible to file kg using carbon fiber. The result is a 1,415 kg car. There are 100 kg less than, for example, the last Volkswagen Golf R. And a few kg more than one of the last Renault Mégane RS Trophy-R. It only remains to be known to what renault 5 turbo 3e is a pump dynamically and, above all, if Renault will place the 1,980 limited units that will be put on sale of this new Culogordo at a price of 155,000 euros of departure. Photos | Renault In Xataka | Renault 5, new car of the year in Europe: the electric car triumphs among critics while stagnating among the public

For a reason as stupid as fun, someone put six wheels and two engines to a Renault 5 Turbo. And the result was great

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Six -wheeled cars have always generated some fascination. From The famous Tyrrel P34 with which Jody Scheckter managed to win a Formula 1 career to the Mercedes G63 AMG 6×6 that became famous for their huge presence and their ability to overcome any obstacle in the desert. The story we bring today has a bit of the first and a lot of the second. The first because, we could think, a Renault 5 Turbo has much more to do with a “little” Tyrrel P34 (at least if we think of its 4.32 meters long for the 5.63 meters maximum that can measure a formula 1 current) that with a gigantic three -axis mercedes. But it also has the second because the original germ of this RENAULT 5 SIX TURBO He was born with the idea of ​​overcoming any obstacle that was presented to him along the way. Any obstacle that, for example, could be found in the Dakar. Yes, in the Dakar. A very crazy Dakar as advertising Those who approach the departure of the Paris-Dakar rally in 1980 had to find a picture as wonderful as amazing. As soon as you could meet four fools who intended to cross Africa with a Vespa as a modified Renault to shelter six wheels. Because that was, exactly, the great objective for which Cristian de Léotard He took the base of one of the most iconic sportsmen of those days to turn it into a three -axis car, six wheels, two engines and, of course, two gearboxes. Léotard was specialized in such modifications and, in fact, he had already experienced with a six -wheel cytroën C15. Did you think that the performance of the mythical van could not be improved? It would not be his only great work. In fact, the Mercedes Class G 6×6 has its origin in the workshop of this French coach. But its most striking, rare and iconic creation is, of course, the Renault 5 Turbo 6×6. Animated by his passion for mechanics and careers OffroadLéotard was gaining experience working within Tissier, a body company specialized in all types of extravagances, such as a Citroën Cx Camperized that seemed to keep a whole city within itself. Over the years, Léotard took his own way to found ADPL (Applicaton Defés Léotard) That, without a doubt, it seems a tribute to ADPT (Applicaton Deféés Tissier), the company in which it grew laborily and in which it sought all possible solutions to create a six -wheel range. That must have been the germ of his craziest project: take two Renault 5, paste them, get him to work with six wheels and face the Dakar sand. And he did it with great success if we attend to the figures. The engendro did not go too much as a mother (4.21 meters that are 10 centimeters more than a RENAULT 4 Current Electric) and only added 100 kg to the whole, being below the ton, as they explain in 12 cylinders. The image was so powerful that I couldn’t miss the opportunity. If I wanted to sell its creation to new customers, it had to show that the car was not only functional, it should also be resistant. The Dakar and its hardness were their best chance and tried to make the most of it. Although he had to retire due to mechanical problems, the rally had generated enough advertising to make a name in the market and, of course, the reference for all those crazy people who wanted to put two extra wheels to their Renault 5. Six wheels, two engines and two gearboxes One of those crazy people in charge of what would be one of Léotard’s most extravagant projects. Make a Renault 5 Turbo a six -wheel car fully functional and effective. To maintain the sports essence of the car and do it as extreme as the original, Léotard returned to “paste” two Renault 5 But this time he also took the opportunity to install a second engine on the front. The Renault 5 Turbo It is pushed by a propeller that sends all its force to the rear wheels. So that it was also effective from the front axle it was decided to install A second engine of Alpine origin 93 hp under the front hood to send the force to the front wheels. Click on the image to go to the original publication They explain in Motorpasion that Léotard described his invention as “a train with two locomotives.” To operate the two engines, the car had two boxes of independent changes and, therefore, with two levers in the front area that were synchronized. The car was, without a doubt, the result of the good work with its project for the Dakar. A car that, in the words of Sixmania (Where you can check more project photographs), it got a much more effective braking than that of the original vehicle, since the drum brakes had been replaced with brake discs on all its wheels. In addition, they assured that stability had improved and offered enormous performance in irregular land. This version Offroad Yes, it survived but the turbo version of this strange Renault 5 6×6 cannot say the same. At the beginning of the 2000s, The car suffered a fire that left it shattered almost entirely. The restoration was never achieved before Cristian de Léotard died in 2014 although in Secret Classics They ensure that a last collector did with what was left of the car to try to return it to life. Photo | ! Koss In Xataka | Someone has taken a Renault 5 and sausage a rotary Mazda engine. And the result is already paid at a stratospheric price

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