Decarbonization: the race is on

The race for decarbonisation is therefore on. In 13 years, it will no longer be possible to sell a new thermal car in Europe. VShis ambition of the 27 countries of the European Union puts the manufacturers under pressure. They must initiate radical transformations, with colossal investments in the key, to reduce the carbon footprint of this big emitter of greenhouse gases that is the automobile. And this decarbonization obviously involves the electrification of the engines.

They do not master the technology of electric batteries, at least for now. Stellantis (born from the merger of PSA and Fiat-Christler) has several gigafactory projects including one in Douvrin, in the North, with Saft, a subsidiary of Total.

Renault is relying instead on the recycling of these batteries in its factory in Flins, in the Paris region. A trip by Renault executives, Jean-Dominique Senard and Luca de Meo is also scheduled for Tuesday, November 30 to see the progress of the project.

The French manufacturers must not miss the turn of the decarbonization of the automobile which risks seriously reshuffling the cards. President Emmanuel Macron recently pointed them out in public, officially regretting the lack of collaboration between the two French flagships in this area.

Even if this applies to the entire industry and not just the automobile, it is now necessary to produce while reducing CO2 emissions. Consumers are sensitive to it. It is a criterion that matters. Industrialists multiply charters and various commitments.

On the OEM side, Michelin, the tire manufacturer, has set itself a 15% reduction in its C02 emissions just for logistics, by 2030. How? By producing closer to its customers, by favoring rail rather than road, by also investing in low-carbon maritime transport. Knowing that the equipment manufacturer emits 1.3 million tonnes of C02 per year, in logistics alone, we say to ourselves that the path to decarbonization is definitely still very, very long.


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