cover story GILLES LE BORGNE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT PSA PEUGEOT CITROËN Gilles Le Borgne worked in research and development on materials and technologies for eight years before becoming chief engineer for the Citroën C3 phase 1 platform. He then held the position of head of advanced vehicle concepts for seven years. In 2010 he took the helm at vehicle platforms and module projects and designed the new modular EMP2 platform. He was named head of the Advanced Projects Department in 2012. Recognised as one of the most skilled experts in automotive engineering and design, he was, from the start, part of the team tasked with negotiations 8 F O C U S with General Motors. He was appointed Director of Research and Development in April 2013. He also is responsible for the French 2 l/100 km vehicule program jointly with the R&D Director of Renault, Gaspar Gascon-Abellan. Gilles Le Borgne, 52, is a graduate of Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Céramiques Industrielles. ‹F›: How would you predict the future for the purely electrical driven car with a battery or even a fuel cell as energy source? Do you think it will mainly be used in city areas or for longer distances too? ‹Gilles Le Borgne›: PSA Peugeot Citroën would like everyone to own a clean vehicle. Along with the rechargeable hybrid, the electric car is a major part of the Group’s clean car strategy. For urban and suburban mobility, the Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zéro are electric vehicles that are compact, handy and agile. With their Li-ion battery, they have an autonomy of up to 150 km per cycle, which ensures sufficient autonomy in actual use since 90 % of automobile trips are less than 60 km long. Their silence and the lack of discharge into the atmosphere make these vehicles especially suited to the city. They are European versions of the new-generation electric vehicle developed by Mitsubishi Motors in cooperation with the two automakers. Since its launch date in 2011, the Group has sold almost 11,000 electric vehicles in Europe. In 2013, the electric range was enhanced with the arrival of two new models of utility vehicles: Peugeot Partner and Citroën Berlingo which are produced at the Vigo plant. ‹F›: How significant is the platform or module strategy at PSA Peugeot Citroën for efficiently developing different types of cars, positioned in various niches of the market? ‹Gilles Le Borgne›: Last year, PSA Peugeot Citroën launched its newgeneration global modular platform: EMP2. It has a wealth of advantages, including advanced modularity, weight savings of 70 kg, high-performance technologies, enabling
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