The transfer of the site has already begun

"The hive" buzzes now at 400 volts, the power that will soon issue the electric range of Renault. Since its inauguration in 1998, the marketplace of the group to the diamond, near Versailles (Yvelines), which brings together multiple trades of the automobile as the design and engineering, had worked on vehicles to heat engines, gasoline or Diesel, the severity GPL or ethanol. It is thus a taboo that fell when the House engineers have expanded their work to the world all nine of the power, under the leadership of their CEO Carlos Ghosn, one of the most convinced patterns, at global level, of the possibilities of development of this sector "clean".

In this real Tower of Babel occupied by white collar of 40 nationalities, which has no less than 470.000 square meters of buildings, 1,000 8 restaurants and meeting rooms, the means on the electric are already impressive: a little more than 1,000 people work on the subject, in coordination with the Nissan teams, on the total number of 8500 people attached to Guyancourt (excluding subcontractors). "It is in the 2007-2008 period began to be structured in terms of electrical projects," says Matthew Tenenbaum, Director of programme Assistant on vehicles "zero emission". "At the beginning of 2007, there was a decision of the alliance: Nissan, who had already ten years of experience and who was close to its joint venture with NEC, focused on the battery, and we on the electric motor." The electric Kangoo was already running, but we reflect on a range. Then we refined different targeting of products in the same year. "So are born, Zoé, the first car fully new car designed around its battery, the version"connected"to full-size Fluence, launched an ad-hoc Israel and Twizy project, a funny gear quadricycle motor, with two seats in tandem. In total, Renault and Nissan have not hesitated to mobilise EUR 4 billion over several years to develop four models each, amount which will be divided roughly in parity, depending on the affected volumes. If, by some leaders, the Organization of this program is very similar to that of any other major vehicle project "classical" Renault, it nevertheless has special characteristics. This folder is monitored as the milk on the fire by Patrick Pélata, Director General delegate, well aware that his group does not have right to the error.

A "central brain."

We are 7 A shelf, in the marketplace where it does not fall without show white paw. As its name suggests not, these tight in "open space" are located in the of "the hive". There is the Programs Branch electric vehicles, a small commando 6 people, just next to their colleagues who develop "normal" models for the Russian market. This "central brain", including the encryption of computer communications has been strengthened, spoke with the rest of the building permanently: starting with the 1erétage, fee of vehicle engineering and the electric motor. Because, under the Renault matrix organization, all the major functions of the House are in the loop at one time or another, based on technical milestones of four programs: research, design, trade, product leaders and all major engineering trades (chassis, equipment, mechanical, etc.). Below, in basements of "the hive", test benches to validate the first parts of vehicles, manufactured in situ with machine tools, without having to get outside. And in a nearby building, a mini-usine is responsible to the prototypes.

We are now in the "Stanley Kubrick room", a small Amphitheater where the virtual begins to move closer to the physics. On a giant screen, a computer dissects future Kangoo ZE the seams and from all angles. Form of the "battery pack", location of rotors and stators, special Assembly of the floor... "It checks our parts live well together, although they are and that they meet customer specifications", details Emmanuel Duprat, responsible for digital imaging. This substantive work including allows to give the top tooling", which will be used to make moulds and press tools.

These methods of work are finally quite close to those held on the Megane and Clio families. The design is the same as that of other programs (roughly two years to draft and then two years of actual development), other than Zoe which took a little more time for its innovative architecture. More new in contrast: a separate Directorate of programs, specialized team responsible to anticipate "anything".

"the electric vehicle ecosystem", summarizes Thomas Orsini, Director business development VE, which animates this team of a dozen members. New functions in a motor vehicle manufacturer. Its model of departure has been the "task force" implemented by Airbus, before the launch of its giant A380 aircraft: it was inter alia to take language with airports to expand runways for take-off and boarding rooms, discuss with the Government, residents, etc.

In the Renault version, subjects are not missing: agreements negotiated with major electricians (EDF, RWE, A2A, etc.), "roadshows" in the large cities of Europe to show elected representatives or large customers, cars followed the development of private or public charging points, training of dealers and repairers Renault to these new models (not the sentence to propose a free failure drain!)... "You out a little bit of our traditional trades, but it is necessary, as Renault is precursor", says Thomas Orsini. In a context franco-français very marked by the planing of tax niches, including on the photovoltaic, also need to ensure that the State provide promised funds in 2009 to help the birth of the sector, via recharging infrastructure.

The future of Flins

The group is aware that resistance will be very large at startup, including on the question of the autonomy of cars (160 kilometres wide maximum) and price (15,000 euros for the Zoe after Government allowance of 5,000 euros), largely increased by monthly payments of the battery (100 euros). In a recent parliamentary report overall very optimistic about the "carbon" car, the MP UMP Gérard neighbor suggests a way to get the pill: "it is psychologically important that the purchaser of these vehicles put in relation to the cost of the rental of the battery with its fuel budget, not with the acquisition of the vehicle." A little as if asked to his banker a loan to buy his diesel five years in advance...

This debate emerging on the advantages and disadvantages of the car "zero emission" is in any case followed close to 40 kilometres of Guyancourt, always in the Yvelines: factory of Flins, a historical site of the group which notably saw the Dauphine, R16, R12, R5, and her replacement the Clio knows it plays much its future on the success of the little Zoe. There, the means even his code name X 10, waiting to see the first prototype next year. "The project teams work hard", reflects Olivier Rémoleux, Director of the factory. Some 20 people representing each business, which will be 50 by the end of the year, prepare a year "electrification" of Flins, in coordination with the Technocentre. The transfer of the site has already begun. Last August, the judgment of the Clio 3 assembly line made profit for approximately 150 changes, tests, etc. As the Dani, who will arrive in the second half of 2012, will follow the same path (sheet metal, assembly line) as Clio 3. Only a small "ramp" bypass is planned to assemble the batteries and further connections, a critical operation. "The vast majority of the staff will make the two cars." The numbers will be close to those of today. "Whatever happens, there is no loss of jobs at Flins", predicted Olivier Rémoleux.

After you have chosen instead of its X 10 mounting, Renault has also provided, not without pressure from the Government, a site of manufacture of batteries 400 volts, which will employ term approximately 400 people. An investment of 600 million, shared between the alliance Renault-Nissan-NEC, the CEA, the ISP and a loan from the State. This small plant will be built in 2011 from an existing building, until this charge of the logistical preparation of strings. It will be fill batteries Nissan's Zama plant manufacturing processes, to the Japan. "Require white rooms, dry rooms, etc.". "Nothing to do with what we do today to Flins", adds the Director of the site adjacent to the Seine. The expected volumes are still very uncertain. The plant is expected to produce between 100 000 and 350 000 batteries per year, but in the immediate future, officials leave on a first tranche of 50,000 units, which can then be expanded "by blocks of capacity".

In fact, in its start-up car electric made in France will be not if HABs that: packs batteries from 250 to 270 kilograms, part of the cost of the Zoé, Kangoo or Fluence, will be imported from the Japan for several years. As the electric motor, which will be common to all three models, it will be bought from a German importer. The question of his eventual repatriation to France is not yet determined.