Light and affordable: the keys to a successful electric

A book by Tommaso Pardi, Samuel Klebaner, Bernard Jullien and Marc Alochet (Associate Researcher at CRG) published by La Fabrique de l'Industrie.

How can we reconcile the environmental imperative, the preservation of individual mobility and the safeguarding of the automotive industry?  This book explores a key solution: creating a new category of sustainable and affordable electric car (vesa), adapted to the diverse needs of Europeans. Inspired by Japanese and Chinese examples, the authors offer an original and relevant vision for making electrification a lever for industrial innovation and ecological transition in Europe.

The electric car: a way to meet our commitments

The decarbonization of road mobility in Europe requires a rapid transition to electric cars, and to accelerate this, the European Union has banned the sale of CO2-emitting vehicles from 2035. Nevertheless, sales of electric vehicles have been slowing down since 2023, weighed down by dissuasive prices and a certain reluctance on the part of consumers to consider the question of battery range. The cost of cars, whether internal combustion or electric, has risen sharply over the past two decades, mainly as a result of technical regulations and manufacturers' strategies to move upmarket. Today, the average cost of an electric car in Europe is 66,864 euros (Jato, 2024).

However, international examples show that effective approaches are possible: in Japan, for example, kei cars (small, lightweight, affordable cars), which account for 40% of the Japanese car fleet, have both reduced road transport emissions and offered a mobility solution to the greatest number of people. The electric version is now one of the best-selling models. In China, the government has supported the development of “new energy” city cars (electric, rechargeable hybrid or range-extender) weighing from 600 to 1,200 kg, which have accelerated the electrification of automotive mobility.

This book proposes the development in Europe of a sustainable and affordable electric car (vesa), costing less than 15,000 euros, encouraged by regulatory and fiscal measures. These cars could replace ageing used cars, meet the needs of rural, urban and suburban populations, and boost the competitiveness of the European automotive industry in the face of Chinese competition.

To meet climate targets while preserving European automotive production, vesa should account for 25% of the European market by 2029, with production localized in Europe to revitalize the value chain, encourage innovation and create jobs.

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