Renault Group details EV innovation push: 60% R&D in France, 746 patents, rare earth-free motors
Renault Group is doubling down on French R&D and rare earth-free motor technology to lead the EV transition, filing 746 patents in 2025 and securing Ford as a manufacturing partner.
- 60%
- 746
- 30-50%
- nearly 40%
What Happened
Renault Group localizes 60% of its R&D spending in France, centered at the Technocentre in Guyancourt and sites in Toulouse, Sophia Antipolis, Lardy, and Aubevoye. This focus drove 746 patent applications in 2025, earning the company 3rd place in the INPI rankings. The Group's engineering teams work on electrification, software, connectivity, ADAS, and SDVs.
746
Renault ranked 3rd in INPI rankings
Batteries account for 30% to 50% of a vehicle's cost, with chemistry alone making up about 75% of battery cost. Renault's Battery Cell Innovation Laboratory at Lardy conducts upstream research from prototyping to characterization. This work aims to master battery chemistry and develop next-generation cells.
Since 2012, Renault has pioneered rare earth-free wound-rotor electric motors, reducing reliance on critical materials. The Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) architecture, developed with Google and Qualcomm, is expected to account for nearly 40% of a vehicle's value by 2030, enabling continuous updates and optimization. Renault also shortens development cycles to just two years thanks to these innovations.
The ElectriCity hub in Europe demonstrates competitive, sustainable EV production with a circular economy approach, including closed-loop metal recycling. Renault designs and builds models for partners Nissan, Mitsubishi, and soon Ford, turning France into a major global EV manufacturing hub.
- 60% of R&D localized in France
- 746 patents filed in 2025 (3rd in INPI)
- Battery accounts for 30-50% of vehicle cost
- Rare earth-free wound-rotor motors pioneered since 2012
- SDV could represent 40% of vehicle value by 2030
- ElectriCity hub proves competitive European EV production
Why this matters
Renault's strategy shows how automakers are investing heavily in battery and motor innovation to reduce costs and reliance on critical materials. The move strengthens France's role as an EV manufacturing hub, creating jobs and attracting partners like Ford. For buyers, these advances could lead to more affordable, efficient EVs with over-the-air updates.
Terms in This Story
- SDV
- Software-Defined Vehicle, a car whose functions are controlled by software that can be updated over-the-air.
- ADAS
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, electronic systems that help the driver in driving and parking tasks.
- INPI
- Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle, the French national patent office.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.