Renault predicts its full-electric, hybrid sales will double in 2021, report says

PARIS — Renault is predicting that its sales of full-electric and hybrid cars will more than double in 2021 from a year earlier, two people close to the company said, as automakers race to try and gain an edge in the segment.

Car companies are battling to stay ahead of a shift towards zero-emissions vehicles, a market already dominated by Tesla and Volkswagen Group, which is ramping up its production efforts and investments.

Renault’s working hypothesis for 2021, bar problems due to a shortage of components such as semiconductor chips, is for sales of hybrid and full-electric vehicles to reach 350,000, the two people with knowledge of its internal estimates said.

The figure, which includes the group’s Renault and Dacia brands, compares to the VW brand’s projection for 450,000 electrified vehicle deliveries this year, which includes plug-in hybrid and full-electric cars.

The wider VW Group, which also includes brands such as Seat and Audi brands, is targeting 1 million electrified vehicle deliveries in 2021.

Renault declined to comment.