Renault and CEA have partnered on clean vehicle development since 2010. The partnership includes 200 staff, two-thirds of which are from CEA, working at the energy supplier’s sites in Grenoble and Saclay, as well as the Renault Technocentre in Guyancourt.

The advanced battery laboratory’s annual budget of 15m Euro has accelerated development to a stage where the alliance is now planning manufacturer testing.

LG Chem’s involvement is likely to include managing the planned factory, to be sited at an unconfirmed location in France, which will produce the units for Euroepan markets. It also brings 15 years of experience in the sector, in which it has filed over 6,000 patents.

CEA chairman, Bernard Bigot, said: ‘The strategic cooperation agreement between Renault and CEA perfectly illustrates the effectiveness of close scientific and technical cooperation between a private company and a public organization, something we have been able to achieve. Creating economic value and employment, this model has enabled France to quickly take a leading world position in zero-emission technologies for automobiles.’