French carmaker Renault no longer sells its brand in China, but it has developed its new electric Twingo there in just 21 months — half the usual time. The car is now produced in Slovenia and arrives at dealers this month with a starting price of under €20,000 ($23,000).

“The real competition is not China versus the West, it's fast systems versus slow systems,” said former Chrysler executive and auto analyst Bill Russo. He stressed that understanding China's product development methods is key to grasping the industry's future.

Renault's Shanghai-based ACDC Center enabled parallel work streams, cutting validation time and costs. The company switched to a “build to plan” supplier model, designing parts in-house and sending exact specifications to manufacturers, saving both time and money.

According to Renault, using the Chinese center saved 40% in development costs compared to traditional processes. The company plans to produce two more models in the coming months for its Dacia subsidiary and partner Nissan.

However, replicating “China speed” in home markets remains a challenge. Experts suggest legacy automakers can benefit from AI and flatter hierarchies to accelerate development.

“It's a pressure cooker here,” Russo said. “If you're not fast, then you'll miss the opportunity.” The shift extends beyond EVs to autonomous driving and software, he added.

Source: www.dw.com