Warning: Renault boss Luca de Meo
Wise words and warnings from engaging Renault boss Luca de Meo about several unintended consequences of Western politicians’ drive to go ‘green’.
Red-tape regulation results in bigger, heavier and more expensive electric cars from European manufacturers that customers find too costly, while China aggressively mops up the market with cheap imports.
Writing in respected motor magazine Autocar, he said the industry faced its most profound change in 150 years.
He said: ‘The urge to reduce our environmental impact, the phasing out of the internal combustion engine by 2035 and the ever-increasing safety and cybersecurity requirements for our cars are making them heavier and more expensive.
‘All these constraints add up.’
The consequence is that older and more polluting cars remain on roads longer — with the average age of a car rising from seven to 12 years.
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