Volvo and Renault will join forces on a new electric van project alongside CMA CGM Group
Renault Group and Volvo Group have joined forces to address the growing needs of decarbonised and efficient logistics by creating a new company managing the development of an all-new generation of electrified vans.
The two groups also look forward to CMA CGM joining the new company. Renault and Volvo will continue to seek additional investment and business partners.
An all-new family of fully electric and software defined vehicles will be introduced by the new company. The production is planned to start in 2026.
“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 president and CEO Martin Lundstedt says.
“Volvo Group is keen to continue to offer its customers complete transport solutions that help them decarbonise their value chains. We see a growing demand for clean, efficient and safe urban transportation. Partnership and collaboration are key to achieve this.”
The vehicles will be built on a new fully electric LCV skateboard platform that will offer high modularity for different body types at low cost and breakthrough on safety requirements.
Adopting the new Software Defined Vehicle architecture, the vehicle will onboard unprecedent capabilities to monitor the delivery activity and user business performance, reducing the global cost of usage for the logistic players with 30 per cent.
The connected services enabled by the software defined vehicle technology will offer to the customers up to date vehicles for the entire lifespan.
The new company will be fully independent, combining the agility of a start-up with the strong backbone of its industry-leading partners. Renault Group and Volvo Group aim to share investments in research and development and bring benefit of existing know-how, services and industrial footprint to the new planned company.
“Electrification and digitalization are paving the way for a revolution in the LCV market. Renault Group intends to be a leader in this transformation while ensuring a robust and effective value creation,” Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo says.
“We are very proud to embark in this journey with Volvo Group to bring the best of solutions to our professional logistic customers. We also look forward to CMA CGM joining the company.”
The joint venture is scheduled to start operations early 2024, depending on the completion of all regulatory approval processes. The subsequent entry of CMA CGM in the company is equally subject to the completion of regulatory approval process.
The future company is planned to operate under its own corporate identity and will be based in France. Volvo Group, through its business area Renault Trucks and Renault Group, have been working together on light commercial vehicles for more than 35 years, materialised by the distribution in both networks of the Renault Master and Trafic commercial vehicles.