Renault plans to sell half of its Renault-brand cars overseas by 2030 and to grow volumes by over a fifth, it said on Tuesday, as it looks to tap growth outside of Europe to remain competitive in a tough global market.
The French vehicle maker is facing intensifying competition from low-cost Chinese players, including BYD and Chery, as well as traditional rivals like Stellantis in its key European market, creating mounting price pressure, which has eroded profit margins.
Under its new five-year “futuREady” strategy, Renault plans 36 new models in the next five years, including 14 outside Europe, compared with just eight in the previous five years.
Those will include four in the Indian market, said Fabrice Cambolive, Renault brand CEO, with production of the small Bridger SUV to start next year before being quickly rolled out in other markets.
The international push signals a renewed emphasis on overseas sales after Renault retreated from several markets under former CEO Luca de Meo as part of an effort to address heavy losses under a strategy dubbed “Renaulution”.
“With Renaulution, we have proved we can win. Now we must prove we can last,” CEO Francois Provost, a company insider who took over from De Meo last year, told analysts at a presentation at the firm’s research & development centre outside Paris.
While Renault is now in better shape, competition is heating up. And a pullback in support for electric vehicles (EVs) in the US under the Trump administration has triggered huge writedowns and abrupt strategic reversals at some rivals.
Michael Foundoukidis, an analyst at Oddo BHF, said a focus on high-margin, C-segment efficiency under the plan and the international push provide “a clear roadmap for margin resilience”, though execution will be key.
Clear objectives
Renault, the smallest of the legacy carmakers, said it will rely largely on in-house technology to develop competitive European products. And it will lean on partners like China’s Geely to significantly boost its international sales in South America and South Korea.
The carmaker is targeting sales of more than 2-million Renault-brand vehicles per year by 2030, up 23% from 1.63-million cars sold in 2025. It aims to sell half of those outside Europe compared with 38% last year.
Renault, which has no US or Chinese presence, said it will continue to develop EVs, planning 16 pure electric models by 2030, or 44% of its planned models. It will also use its Horse Powertrain joint venture with Geely to develop a smaller engine for hybrids. Renault has leant on hybrids to manage weaker-than-expected European EV demand.
A new EV platform under development for 2028 will include a range-extender version with a backup petrol or diesel engine to extend range to up to 1,400km.
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