Renault Group expects to boost its software-defined-vehicle production capabilities by taking full control of last-mile delivery vehicle specialist Flexis, its joint venture with Volvo and logistics specialist CMA CGM, per a June 17 release.
The JV was set up in 2024 and will now be fully owned by Renault, which has seen its midsize Trafic Van E-Tech Electric light commercial vehicle developed by the company.
It uses a skateboard platform designed to integrate an 800-volt electric powertrain, as well as a SDV architecture.
According to Flexis’s website, its vehicles enable ultra-fast charging in around 20 minutes with up to 450 km (280 miles) on the European WLTP range rating, and feature a heat pump as standard for better winter performance.
Renault will now complete the development of the new generation of fully electric LCVs and their associated services, addressing the challenges of urban logistics and the growing demand for decarbonization, the company said.
Production of the Renault Trafic Van E-Tech Electric, the first model in this range, is set to begin at the end of 2026 at Renault's Sandouville plant in France.
Volvo, in a collaboration with Renault Trucks, will also market the vehicle from 2027 onwards as part of a longstanding relationship between Renault Group and Renault Trucks in light commercial vehicles.
