New automotive order - from used car factories to subscriptions

The slogan "new deal" may not have the best associations, but recently it has been a catchy term. However, the analogy between him and the new automotive world order seems to be the most legitimate. Both raise anxiety and uncertainty.

Brussels' pressure on electromobility is already driving change. Electrically powered vehicles, however, are just the tip of the iceberg. What awaits us in the coming years? What will change? Why may owning a car not make much sense for many of us and what are used car factories? We invite you to read!

Renaulution - the revolution according to Renault

Renault's strategic document published in mid-January not only describes the financial policy and development plans of individual brands within the group, but also paints a picture of the entire automotive industry in the medium term.

Many of the implemented, revolutionary changes result from the assumptions adopted by the European Parliament regarding climate policy and environmental protection. Officially, in 2030, new vehicles powered by internal combustion engines will no longer be available, and strict standards will apply, for example, to the share of "recycled" raw materials in the production of batteries.

On the old continent, we do not have the resources needed for production, and their extraction in other parts of the world is associated with enormous expenditure (i.e. wastage) of energy and water. Whether you like it or not, the pursuit of minimizing the carbon footprint will become the goal of all of us.

And so, under the "Renaulution" strategy, there are already several "used car factories" or "Refactory" (the manufacturer makes sure that they are not referred to as "repair plants" similar to those managed by large dealer networks selling used vehicles).

Maintenance and Refurbishment Services (i.e. maintenance and regeneration services) is a broad term referring to the object of operation of plants in French Flins and Spanish Seville. The first of them is to achieve the capacity of as many as 45,000 cars next year, while the second is to reach about 10,000 cars and 1000 batteries. The processes that the vehicles are subjected to are impressive - we are dealing here with something more like a production line than repair stations. From scanning and photographing, through regeneration or replacement of damaged elements, to body and paint repairs and corrections.

Interestingly, the process of regenerating cars and the batteries that drive them turns out to be a more lucrative business in the long run than their production. Comprehensive regeneration takes 8 days, the procedures to which the cars are subjected do not differ from the factory ones, and all works are covered by a 24-month warranty. Renault plants are also working on the concept of electrification of diesel cars and want to offer such a service to customers soon.

The future in subscription cars?

The research of automotive companies shows that most cars are not used 90% of the time. Hence, especially in larger cities, according to experts, alternative models such as car sharing, occasional rental and / or subscription should be considered even more boldly and make them dominant. Will such a formula include possibly service, electricity and other services? This is not known. It seems certain, however, that owning cars will simply stop paying off in highly civilized countries. In addition, due to the pressure of electromobility, we will be able to imagine the industry as a "closed circuit" in less than 10 years.

It is highly probable that companies will be the first users of vehicles. After the end of the contract, the cars would go to the factory plant, and then, after regeneration, to private customers for a lower monthly installment. After the end of the contract, the car would be recycled - the battery components or plastics would be reused. It is worth noting that, under the regulations in several EU countries, many years ago manufacturers began to offer vehicles without batteries for sale, which had to be leased separately. It should be emphasized that any "remodeling" of the automotive world and monopolization of the regeneration process by manufacturers may have a backlash on the automotive industry, making disassembly stations, repair plants and wholesalers unnecessary in many developed countries.

E-mobility as the future of the recreational vehicle industry?

Many people had great hopes for the development work of giants on the delivery vehicle market such as Ford or Stellantis (Fiat, Citroen, Peugeot). A lot has happened here in the field of electromobility, but the design and technological limitations do not bode well for any revolution.

First of all, the batteries themselves have a significant impact on the weight of the base car. Although the GVM of vehicles authorized by the B category driving license (up to 4,250 kg) has been increased as a result, the regulations apply only to the service of cargo transport. The capacity of the batteries themselves and the range also leave a lot to be desired. The summary of the Ducato electric test published recently in the trade periodical "Promobil" leaves no illusions. The relatively low power and symbolic range (maximum 200-300 km) may not be a disadvantage for couriers traveling through city centers. It is far from such a car until we could consider it a serious alternative in the motorhome segment. To sum up - the relatively small capacity of the batteries, the inability to charge them ultrafastly within the well-developed infrastructure, as well as the high weight of the base vehicle are the main obstacles at the moment. It is hard to believe that in the perspective of less than 10 years internal combustion units would disappear and their place would be taken by electric motors . Undoubtedly, however, the image of the world drawn by officials and the climate goals they set will have an impact on the way we view mobility.

It remains to be hoped that the changes will be evolutionary and will contribute to the improvement of the natural environment, without prejudice to our travel passion. The factories of used motorhomes owned by the manufacturers are also hard to imagine at the moment ...