The Renault plant in Seville, recently converted into the new Refactory concept, has been awarded production of the DB35 hybrid gearbox. This award, along with the two gearboxes allocated in March 2021, will make this facility the world production centre for gearboxes.

If there was any doubt as to the group’s intentions, the company’s Industrial Director and CEO in Spain, José Vicente de los Mozos, confirmed that Renault plans to manufacture all hybrid gearboxes worldwide at its plant in Seville.

Hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions
De los Mozos confirmed this news while announcing the award of the DB35 gearbox, which will be assembled in the hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the current E-Tech models of the Clio, Captur, Megane and Arkana. He made the announcement after a meeting with the President of the Andalusian Regional Government, Juan Manuel Moreno.

The award involves the implementation of a new assembly line, which is expected to start production from September. The third gearbox will be assembled in models produced at the Group’s plants in Valladolid, Palencia, Bursa (Turkey) and Busan (South Korea).

Fourth industrial plan
The other two gearboxes were assigned to the Seville factory in March 2021, when Renault Spain started to implement its fourth industrial plan. Both will be used for the new E-Tech vehicles to be launched by the company. This Industrial Plan includes an innovative circular economy project, transforming the plant into Refactory Seville. The goal is to give used vehicles a second life.

De los Mozos announced that the Seville plant will start to generate new jobs from the beginning of 2023. “The arrival of this new gearbox will allow the Refactory in Seville to become the only  hybrid gearbox production centre  for the Renault Group worldwide. If we consider that this plant is already producing parts for electric vehicles and that the circular economy project will soon be inaugurated here as well, then we have now managed to situate Seville in the new mobility era,” he explained.

The fourth industrial plan was the start of the Renault Group’s transformation of Spain into its hybridization hub. Together with the gearboxes, the plants in our country have also been awarded five models and an engine family with this system. 

^{Photo: Renault}