Renault Group has produced its one millionth electric vehicle in France since 2010, the company confirmed today. The announcement covers all electric models designed and built across Renault’s French plants over the past fifteen years, and it marks one of the clearest signals yet of how much of Europe’s electric vehicle manufacturing base still runs through France.
A large share of that total, 600,000 vehicles, comes from ElectriCity, Renault Group’s dedicated electric vehicle hub in the north of France, which spans the plants in Douai and Maubeuge. The wider French EV production network also includes the Dieppe, Batilly and Sandouville assembly sites, supported by the mechanical component plants at Cléon, Ruitz and Le Mans, along with the Flins Refactory site, which focuses on the circular economy side of the business, including remanufacturing and recycling.
François Provost, CEO of Renault Group, described the milestone as a source of pride for the teams, suppliers and customers involved, and said the company has invested 13 billion euros since 2021 to build out its electric vehicle value chain in France. He added that a further 13 billion euros is planned under the company’s futuREady mid term plan, subject to conditions remaining favourable.
How the milestone breaks down
A million electric vehicles built in one country over fifteen years is a genuinely large number, and it says something about how early Renault committed to EV manufacturing compared with other European rivals.
Renault’s electric journey in France started in 2011 with the Kangoo ZE at the Maubeuge plant. Since then, the company has added several electric vans built in France, including the Trafic Van E-Tech electric, which it describes as the first native electric light commercial vehicle in its segment, alongside the Master E-Tech electric.
The model most closely tied to this milestone is the Renault 5 E-Tech electric, priced from 18,810 euros in France after the Coup de Pouce bonus of 6,180 euros is applied. Renault says the 100,000th Renault 5 rolled off the line at the end of 2025, and the plant is on track to pass 200,000 units built since launch by the end of this year. The Renault 4 E-Tech electric is described by Renault as the segment leader in France.
ElectriCity also builds electric vehicles for Nissan and Mitsubishi under the Alliance, and Renault says Ford production will start there too, though no timeline was given for that addition. Renault also confirmed plans to launch a new generation Trafic E-Tech electric by the end of 2026, which it says will be the first software defined vehicle in Europe’s light commercial vehicle segment. Beyond that reference to a launch window, no further technical detail on the platform was shared in this release.
Jobs and investment
Renault employs close to 39,000 people in France and says its supply chain supports around 35,000 additional indirect jobs in the country. At ElectriCity specifically, the company says it added 700 permanent positions between 2022 and 2025, with another 300 roles being recruited through 2027. Renault also said it hired 550 temporary workers at the Douai site since last October and introduced a part time night shift there, with a further increase in production pace planned for September.
Separately, Renault says 53,000 employees have gone through training under its Reknow University programme, covering areas including electrification, battery technology, artificial intelligence and circular economy skills, though the release does not specify how many of those training places are tied directly to the French EV plants.
For context, Renault Group sold 2.337 million vehicles worldwide in 2025 across its Renault, Dacia and Alpine brands, and employs more than 100,000 people globally.
FAQ
Where is the Renault 5 E-Tech electric made?
It is built at the Douai plant in northern France, part of the ElectriCity hub.
How many electric vehicles has Renault Group made in France?
Renault says it has produced one million electric vehicles in France since 2010, including 600,000 from the ElectriCity hub in Douai and Maubeuge.
Does ElectriCity only build Renault vehicles?
No. Renault says the hub also produces vehicles for Nissan and Mitsubishi, with Ford production planned to start there as well.
What is the Trafic E-Tech electric software defined vehicle?
It is a new generation electric van due by the end of 2026, which Renault says will be the first software defined vehicle in Europe’s light commercial vehicle segment. Full technical details have not yet been released.
News & Featured Image Source: Renault
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