Renault to manufacture Zoë in France

The CEO and Chairman of Renault, Carlos Ghosn, after a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, affirmed that the company had decided to manufacture the green vehicle Zoë. The car, which will be the company’s main model for the green market, is to be manufactured starting 2012 at Renault’s Flins plant located in France.

Meanwhile, the production of the next Clio car model is set to start in 2013. Ghosn confirmed to the French president that Renault will manufacture Clio 4 at their Flins plant as well. He added that the green jobs and the future of Flins plant are guaranteed due to the green developments.

By 2020, Renault estimates that green vehicles will make up 10 per cent of the global car market. Currently, the Renault-Nissan coalition is putting in approximately €4 billion to fund its zero emission programme and about 2,000 staff coming from both companies to produce new electric cars.

Next year, Renault will begin to market its electric-powered vehicles – including a family saloon car model for Israel, and a Kangoo van and a mini car for Western Europe. Another electric vehicle model, soon to be launched by Renault, is scheduled to be sold in the market by 2012.

Renault will commence customer fleet trials within this year. The automaker is also planning to do TV advertising for its electric cars – the first effort of its kind by a top car company.

Earlier in December, the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, made public that buyers of electric vehicles will be exempted from taxes starting April 2010 for up to five years.