AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France, July 8 (Reuters) - A "Chinese storm" is looming over Europe's growing electric vehicle (EV) sector, Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard told Reuters on Saturday, as Asia's superpower dominates key raw materials to make batteries for zero emission cars.
"When I talk about a Chinese storm, I'm talking about the strong pressure today related to Chinese (electric) vehicle imports into Europe," Senard said.
China's export restrictions are escalating a technology war with the United States, potentially causing more disruption to global supply chains.
The development of alternative fuels - such as synthetic e-fuels and hydrogen - would be crucial in the event of a sudden shortage of batteries due to a dearth of raw materials, Senard said.
Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain; Additional reporting by Gilles Guillaume Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons:
Jean, Dominique Senard, Senard, Mathieu Rosemain, Gilles Guillaume, Mark Potter
Organizations:
Renault, Reuters, Thomson
Locations:
PROVENCE, France, China, Europe, United States