Founded in 1898, Renault has marked automotive history since the start, under the banner of broadly affordable innovation and a thirst for new challenges. Thus Renault ranks in the list of the most innovative companies in the world and stands as the carmaker that has most consistently introduced innovations since the start of automotive history. For Renault, innovating means designing and developing an affordable range of products and services that hold value for customers, and developing technologies that anticipate customer expectations. But it is also about creating the car of the future, by working on foresight and keeping a market watch.

The Renault brand recently gave new impetus to its design, under the guidance of Laurens van den Acker, to strengthen the appeal of its products. The new design strategy revolves around three keywords: simplicity, sensuality and warmth. Renault design seeks to stir the emotions, conveying the brand’s passion for cars and reflecting its Latin culture. The design renewal was first seen on the DeZir concept car. Renault styling today is applied more consistently and is instantly recognizable, particularly through the showcased diamond on the front end and flowing body lines.

Innovating to make life better is central to the identity of the Renault brand. From the day in 1898 when Louis Renault drove up the steep rue Lepic in Paris to today’s electric vehicles and Formula 1 commitment, Renault has always been motivated by new challenges. The Renault brand range scores top marks on quality, as borne out in the ratings of international bodies. The brand aims to stand as a pioneer in sustainable mobility for all.

To develop appealing and broadly affordable technologies, we work in six priority areas:

• Innovative architecture. From the Renault 16 to Espace and Twizy, Renault has marked history with its innovative architectural approach, which remains a core focus for the Group today.

• Electric vehicles and their ecosystem. In addition to our existing range of four full-electric vehicles, we are pursuing our efforts in the exploration of new battery technologies, extending range and reducing charging times and costs.
• Internal combustion-engine vehicles. We have set ourselves the objective of significantly reducing our CO2 emissions. The Group was the European leader on low CO2 emissions in 2013 – and the first automotive group to go below an average 116 g/km for its passenger cars sold. To go even further, we are preparing a vehicle that will consume less than 2 l/100 km.
• Travelling well-being. Our aim is to develop innovations that make car travel a pleasurable and serene experience. To that end, we have developed onboard multimedia systems and personalized cabin features. These initiatives are ideally demonstrated by the autonomous, connected vehicle, NEXT TWO.
• New services. We are working to meet the needs of our customers looking to find on board their vehicles the same possibilities as those offered by electronic and connected technologies – and smartphones in particular – including real-time information and harmonious use between the different worlds of drivers and passengers.
• And affordable costs. As part of a customer-centric approach, all our innovations are designed to be broadly affordable. This calls on all the ingeniousness of our teams, who endeavor to simplify and standardize the solutions that we develop.

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