PARIS (Reuters) -French carmaker Renault said Josep Maria Recasens would become the new CEO of Renault's electrical vehicles unit Ampere on April 1, replacing group CEO Luca de Meo in that role.

The appointment of Josep Maria Recasens, who is currently a chief operations officer at Renault, comes as Renault and other carmakers aim to boost sales of electric vehicles and make them more affordable in light of competition from Chinese rivals.

"I know that with Josep Maria at the helm, Ampere will continue and successfully accelerate its role as a spearhead for the group and the European industry," said Renault Group CEO de Meo in a statement.