Plans for production to commence on all-new electric vans by as early as 2026 have been announced as part of an agreement announced this week by Volvo Group, Renault Group and CMA CGM.
The groups have joined forced to address the growing needs for low-emission and efficient logistics by creating a new company to manage and develop an all-new generation of electrified vans.
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 with production planned to start in 2026.
According to a media release, 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 “unprecedented capabilities to monitor the delivery activity and user business performance,” reducing the global cost of usage for the logistic players by 30 per cent.
The connected services enabled by the software defined vehicle technology will offer customers up to date vehicles through the lifespan of the vehicle.
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.
As a global player on all segments of the supply chain, CMA CGM will assist the new company in building appropriate solutions that can fit the needs of all transport and supply chain players, based on end-to-end efficient solutions.
CMA CGM will also bring its know-how of a leading player in world logistics, improving the solutions and B2B offers that will address the needs of all logistic players.
“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. Partnership and collaboration are key to achieve this,” said Martin Lundstedt, President, and CEO of Volvo Group.
Electrification and digitalisation are paving the way for a revolution in the LCV market according to Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group.
“Renault Group intends to be a leader in this transformation while ensuring a robust and effective value creation,” he said.
“Today, 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 new company is the start-up minded, unmatched combination of the complementary assets of three 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.”
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