The word of eco. The French automotive industry : between renaissance and new challenges – Franceinfo

The Z. E., a concept car of non-polluting car, which was presented by Renault at Mondial de l’automobile in Paris on 2 October 2008. (MAXPPP)

After years marked by a deep crisis, the symbol of which will be the closure of the PSA plant of Aulnay-sous-Bois in 2013, the French automotive industry did eventually recover.

The proof is in the figures : first, the French are given to buy cars. Result : the registrations are on the rise : more than 6% since the beginning of the year. With regard to the production, after the air hole of the years 2008/2013, here, too, the volumes are increasing and could even pass the 2 million mark of vehicles produced in the territory. And if the French factories produce more, it is in part the result of the competitiveness agreements signed by PSA as at Renault.

Renault has started a new round of negotiations for new agreements after those signed in 2013. The employees had agreed to spend 32 to 35 hours of work per week, without increase of salary, but in return the brand had committed to increase production in France.

The competitiveness agreements have helped to keep factories in France, but not to create jobs. The automotive industry today, it is 200,000 posts. The 75,000-less than before the start of the crisis in 2008. Moreover, according to the CGT, at Renault, group staff numbers have shrunk from 8,000 posts in 3 years.

the scandal of The software-fixing of Volkswagen on pollutant emissions has cast doubt on the whole of the builders. Moreover, an investigation of the repression of the frauds is in progress. If at the end of these investigations, falsifications are proven, the government has already warned that it will prosecute the marks that would have cheated.

In France, so this is the model of the “everything diesel” risk of costs. It has even begun. Today, diesel cars represent more than 52 % of the registrations. It was nearly 64 % in 2014. And this movement may intensify as the european standards on emissions will be tightened, which will in fact, result in investment is very significant for the manufacturers.

Carlos Ghosn, boss of Renault says very clearly : “this will add to the cost of the car”. Therefore, we can understand better the insistence of marks to highlight the progress of electric cars. Their market remains, however, is more than trivial : the electric, it is only 1% of car sales in France.

see alsorelated Topics