Shaping the future our action plan
Our approachOUR APPROACH
To build its climate strategy and develop its action plan, Renault Group uses reliable tools to assess its greenhouse gas emissions across the life cycle of its vehicles and aligns with the regulatory environment.
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA)
LCA is a science-based tool used to quantify a vehicle’s environmental impacts throughout its life cycle, encompassing raw material extraction, the manufacturing and assembly of components, and the vehicle’s transportation, use, maintenance and recycling. Renault Group uses this internationally standardized, multi-criteria tool to calculate the potential contribution to global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions* and to validate the environmental benefits of its technological innovations. LCA calculations are made for new vehicles and cover 80% of vehicle sales.
CAFE STANDARDS
In Europe, vehicles sold that do not meet annual quantitative targets for CO2/km exhaust emissions are penalized (CAFE standards). In 2018, the Group set up the CAFE Control Tower, a team tasked specifically with ensuring that vehicles comply with regulatory CO2 emissions targets. Outside of Europe, the Group must meet similar regulatory standards. In all, about 70% of Group sales around the world are subject to CAFE-type regulations.
SCOPE
The Group applies the international methodology of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol to measure its greenhouse gas emissions in three categories:
SCOPE 1
Emissions generated directly by the Group and its activities.
SCOPE 2
Emissions related to the consumption of electricity, heat or steam in the Group's activities. These are referred to as indirect energy-related emissions.
SCOPE 3
Other indirect emissions in the upstream or downstream value chain (purchased raw materials and parts, their use, goods transport, waste management, etc.).
The Group implements specific action plans for each of these scopes. Since the bulk of the Group's GHG emissions fall under Scope 3, reducing indirect emissions is key to the success of Renault Group's climate plan.
VEHICLE CARBON FOOTPRINT FROM FACTORY TO ROAD
In 2020, 80% of the carbon footprint of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles was generated by emissions during vehicle use and fuel production. These are called “well-towheel” emissions. For electric vehicles, well-to-wheel emissions are generated during the production of electricity. Over their entire life cycle (including battery manufacturing), electric vehicles have an average carbon footprint that is 28% smaller than equivalent ICE vehicles, in Europe. In France, their footprint is 64% smaller.**
*Measured in CO2e/vehicle sold
**Comparative LCA analysis, ZOE vs. CLIO