French president Nicolas Sarkozy said yesterday that he is planning an additional monetary push for the French domestic auto industry that he hopes will boost the sagging industry. He said that the government will officially announce the measures, which are aimed at the production of efficient cars, in late January.
“We have decided to help our auto industry just like other European countries have done,” Sarkozy said yesterday at a news conference in Rio de Janeiro.
“These are measures to help automakers build the cars of the future, cars that consume less energy, cars that are cleaner,” he continued.
Sarkozy said that France has invested heavily in nuclear energy and electricity and that he feels the country should help its automakers produce hybrid and electric cars. Aside from a Renault venture with Israel, French automakers have been notably quiet in the arena of vehicles powered by gasoline-electric hybrid powertrains.
