Collaboration of Renault Group, Volvo Group, and CMA CGM: A united front to address the rising demand for carbon-neutral and efficient logistics by developing a next-generation fleet of electric vans.
News: Renault Group, Volvo Group, and CMA CGM Team Up for Electric Van Joint Venture
In an exciting development for the transport and logistics industry, Renault Group and Volvo Group have announced a new joint venture to develop a new generation of electric vans. The future company, set to operate independently in France, aims to revolutionise urban mobility with its innovative solutions.
The partnership, which also includes CMA CGM Group, will focus on creating transport and supply chain solutions that cater to the needs of all actors in the industry. Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group, expressed pride in partnering with Renault Group and Volvo Group to create this new electric van company. Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO of Volvo Group, and Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group, also expressed their pleasure and excitement about the collaboration.
The new electric vans, scheduled for production in 2026, will offer exceptional compactness for urban mobility, high versatility for tailored solutions, and different battery capacities, including an 800V version. They will be produced on a skateboard-type light commercial vehicle platform, allowing for low-cost adaptation of different body modules.
What sets these electric vans apart is their integration of unprecedented features for monitoring delivery activities and commercial performance. These features are expected to reduce the total cost of use by 30% for logistics actors. Renault Group will bring its expertise in developing and mass-producing the electric platform integrating the Software-Defined Vehicle architecture for the first time.
The new company will leverage the potential areas of expertise of its partners, including loading, routing, insurance, fleet management, financing, and more. It will also rely on a solid economic model thanks to optimized resource allocation based on the area of excellence of each partner.
The joint venture is expected to begin operating at the beginning of 2024, subject to regulatory approval processes. The new company is open to seeking other investors and partners in addition to Renault Group and Volvo Group. However, the specific other companies involved have not been explicitly mentioned at this time. CMA CGM's entry into the company is also subject to regulatory approval processes.
Renault Group will allow the new electric vans to connect to the logistics industry's work environment in open source. This collaboration is a significant step towards sustainable transport solutions and is expected to provide the best solutions to professional logistics clients.
With Volvo Group's extensive experience in services for transport professionals and Renault Group's expertise in developing and mass-producing electric vehicles, the new company is poised to make a significant impact in the transport and logistics industry. The partnership between these global leaders and CMA CGM Group, a global shipping company, will bring together the agility of a startup with the support of industrial leader partners, creating a company that is fully independent yet backed by industry giants.
