Renault drops most ‘Mobilize’ projects following strategic shift
“Mobilize Beyond Automotive is no longer a standalone entity,” Renault announced. “The commercial use of the Mobilize brand continues for Mobilize Financial Services and will be assessed, for other offers, over the coming months.”As part of the reorganisation, electric vehicle charging solutions will be directly integrated into the group’s core business operations and placed under the responsibility of Fabrice Cambolive, Chief Growth Officer of Renault Group, as the company confirmed. These measures will result in the elimination of around 80 of the approximately 450 positions in the Mobilize Beyond Automotive division. A company spokesperson told Reuters that “voluntary departures and internal personnel moves” will be prioritised.“Other activities … with limited profitability prospects or that do not directly serve the group’s strategic priorities are being discontinued,” Renault said in a statement. This includes the carsharing services Zity in Milan and Madrid, as well as the electric microvehicle Duo.Renault is also scaling back its ambitions for building its own HPC (High Power Charging) network, now targeting just 100 stations in France and over 100 in Italy by the end of 2026 – significantly fewer than the previously stated target of 650 stations across Europe by 2028. Planned projects in Belgium and Spain have been abandoned.Mobilize, the mobility brand of Renault Group, was founded in 2021 by then-Renault CEO Luca de Meo to develop “new mobility solutions beyond Renault’s traditional business”. These included carsharing services, electric vehicle charging solutions, and specialised vehicles such as the Duo and an electric limousine designed for ride-hailing services, which was discontinued in 2023. De Meo’s successor, François Provost, has now decided, following an internal review, to cease further investment in carsharing services and fast-charging infrastructure, as these do not align with the core business under financial pressure – fast chargers are already being deployed by other providers.reuters.com, renaultgroup.comThis article was first published by Sebastian Schaal for electrive’s German edition.
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