Renault to Cut Up to 20% of Engineers, Morocco Among Affected Sites

Marrakech – French carmaker Renault plans to reduce its engineering workforce by 15% to 20% over the next two years, with Morocco among the countries where cuts will be applied. The company confirmed the decision on Tuesday through a spokesperson, describing the move as part of a broader push to stay competitive.

As reported by AFP and Reuters, the reductions will affect up to 2,400 engineers out of a current global workforce of 11,000 to 12,000. Renault had 100,541 total employees at the end of last year. The spokesperson said the cuts will be carried out without forced layoffs.

The company indicated that the development of new technologies and fundamental design work will remain in France. Engineering centers in Brazil, India, Morocco, Romania, South Korea, Spain, and Turkey will also see a reduction in engineering posts.

Renault, like other European automakers, is facing pressure from Chinese brands, especially in the electric vehicle segment. Chinese manufacturers are known for lower costs and shorter development cycles.

In March, Renault CEO Francois Provost announced a major restructuring, stating his intention to “compete with Chinese vehicle manufacturers in terms of innovation, cost and speed.” The group plans to launch 36 new models within the next five years while shortening development time to 24 months.

Through collaboration with Chinese engineers at its research and development center in China, Renault cut the development time for the new electric Twingo to 21 months, half the usual timeline.

The company also aims to lower the costs of its electric cars by 10% to 30%, mostly by reducing development spending. The staff reduction forms part of Provost’s broader transformation strategy unveiled last month.

Turning to the Moroccan side, the firm launched Renault Technology Morocco (RTMA) in March last year, a new engineering center split between Tetouan, dedicated to technological activities, and Tangier, focused on industrial operations, with Francisco José Martín Hernández appointed as Director General.

Renault Group Morocco produced 394,474 vehicles in 2025 across its Tangier and Casablanca plants, a 5% decline from 2024 but a 3% rise from 2023. The Tangier facility manufactured 299,395 units, while Casablanca’s SOMACA plant produced 95,079 vehicles.

Exports accounted for 82% of total output, with 327,552 units shipped to 63 markets, led by France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and China. Morocco now ranks as Renault Group’s second-largest production country by volume and the eighth-largest sales market globally.

Domestically, the group sold 88,937 vehicles across the Renault and Dacia brands, capturing 37.8% market share with 31.4% growth. Dacia remained Morocco’s top-selling brand for the sixteenth consecutive year, with the Logan leading national sales at 18,282 units.

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