Renault Group has announced that it has opened a new R&D office in Hangzhou, in China’s Zhejiang province, as the French automaker looks to strengthen its new vehicle development capabilities in the world’s largest new vehicle market.

The new Hangzhou office will operate under the company’s existing Advanced China Development Center (ACDC) in Shanghai, and will focus on software development, artificial intelligence (AI) and user experience technologies. Combined with the Shanghai ACDC operations, which are focused on hardware integration, powertrain systems and full-vehicle engineering, Renault is looking to strengthen it overall vehicle development capabilities in China, with the aim of accelerating its “technology readiness” for international markets under its ‘futuREady’ strategy.

The company confirmed that its expanded ACDC operations will look to leverage China's electrification, software and artificial intelligence supply chains to support its global vehicle development.

Philippe Brunet, chief technology officer of Renault Group and head of ACDC, confirmed in a statement: “The ACDC Hangzhou R&D office strengthens our ability to connect with China's innovation ecosystem and engineering talent. Within the futuREady framework, ACDC will continue to act as a technology compass while improving development speed, competitiveness and quality for global projects."

As an example of its growing R&D capabilities in China, Renault pointed to the Twingo E-Tech project, which it says was completed in 22 months, with support from Chinese partners. The enlarged ACDC operation will collaborate with Renault’s global R&D centres in France on future global model development, including next-generation battery electric vehicles (BEVs).