Renault has put a stop to the Zoe’s production

Renault has announced the suspension of production of its Zoe model at the Flins plant for an extended period. The production of the electric city car will be interrupted for several weeks due to the continuing shortage of semiconductors.

This news represents an important setback for Zoe. Renault has confirmed that the assembly will be interrupted for three weeks in June (the weeks of 5, 12 and 26), with an additional two days of stoppage scheduled for July.

The company and the factory unions attributed this decision to the shortage of semiconductors. For example, the union CFDT Renault Flins said on its Facebook page: “Due to a lack of electronic components, body flow (assembly, paint, sheet metal) and associated support functions will not work, except for personnel designated by management.”

This situation further worsens the end of Zoé’s career, as its sales have fallen in recent months. From January to May, only 3,422 units were registered in France, which represents a 44% decrease. Zoé is now selling less than MG 4, a Chinese compact electric car that attracts customers with its competitive prices. However, Zoe also appears to be facing internal competition, notably for the allocation of available electronic chips. Renault may be inclined to favour the electric Mégane and the Austral, which offer a higher profitability.

A representative of the trade union Force Ouvrière said that 355 people “are affected by short-term long-term unemployment”. This represents a small portion of the site’s workforce of over 2,000 employees. Flins is currently undergoing a transformation, with a large majority of employees now dedicated to Refactory, a service focused on refurbishing used vehicles.

The Zoe will be replaced by the R5, which will be manufactured at the Douai factory. Nissan also assembles the Micra in Flins, and its replacement will also be transferred to Douai.

To remember : 

Renault suspended production of the Zoé at the Flins plant due to the shortage of semiconductors, with a break for several weeks in June and July
This decision worsens the situation of Zoé, whose sales have already dropped, placing it behind the MG 4 in terms of popularity 
Lack of electronic chips and priority given to other models could also affect Zoe