- Renault and Volvo form a partnership over electric vans.
- Focus on creating advanced electric vehicles with enhanced modularity and real-time monitoring capabilities.
- Operational in 2024, promoting cost efficiency and healthy competition in other sectors.
This collaboration is set to re-shape the world of electric vans
Renault Group and Volvo Group have forged a strategic partnership to develop of an entirely new generation of electric vans. The two industry giants are eagerly anticipating the participation of CMA CGM, a prominent player in the global supply chain.
The core of this partnership lies in the introduction of a cutting-edge family of fully electric and software-defined electric vans. If all goes to plan, these new vehicles will be available in 2026.
The pairing will construct these vehicles on a revolutionary electric LCV skateboard platform. The design grows off the back of the modular platforms that have been gaining popularity in the market throughout this year. This offers modularity for diverse body types at a cost-effective scale while achieving groundbreaking safety standards. Central to this innovation is the integration of high connectivity. That enables real-time monitoring of delivery activities and business performance. This technology is slated to reduce global usage costs for logistics players by a remarkable 30%.
What sets this venture apart is the creation of a fully independent company. This combines the agility of a startup with the wealth of experience from its industry-leading partners.
Martin Lundstedt, President, and CEO of Volvo Group, commented:
“We are excited to take yet another step in our journey towards sustainable transport solutions through the intended establishment of a new company. Volvo Group is keen to continue to offer its customers complete transport solutions that help them decarbonize their value chains. We see a growing demand for clean, efficient, and safe urban transportation and partnership and collaboration is key to achieve this,”
Renault Group will bring its expertise to develop and manufacture the electric platform and the first Software Defined Vehicle architecture. This promises a seamless connection between the vehicle and the logistics business environment. Simultaneously, Volvo Group, renowned for its prowess in the trucking sector, will contribute its extensive service network and expertise in uptime and productivity services to this groundbreaking initiative. Furthermore, CMA CGM, a global leader in the supply chain domain, is set to provide tailored solutions catering to the diverse needs of transport and supply chain players.
Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group, stated:
“Electrification and digitalization are paving the way for a revolution in the LCV market. Renault Group intends to lead this transformation while ensuring a robust and effective value creation. Today, we are very proud to embark in this journey with Volvo Group to bring the best of solutions to our professional customers. We also look forward to CMA CGM joining the company. The new company is the start-up minded, unmatched combination of the complementary assets of 3 champions: a leading truck maker, expert in tailored services, a champion of the global supply chains, and a European EV pioneer & LCV leader. All the ingredients are there to come up with something truly unique,”
Scheduled to commence operations in early 2024, this venture is a testament to the collective vision of these industry leaders. Collaborations like this one are integral to fuelling development. Combined expertise, facilities, and budgets are catalysts for change. Perhaps the shift to emobility would be faster and smoother if we started to see opportunities, rather than competitors.
