Renault And ford are entering into a strategic alliance that will see the French automaker produce two electric vehicles for Ford and the two companies collaborate on vans.
Both electric vehicles will be designed by Ford and feature the company’s “signature driving dynamics” but are said to be based on a Renault electric vehicle architecture. They are also built by Renault at its factory in Douai, France, near the Belgian border.
The first of the two electric vehicles is scheduled to arrive in European showrooms in early 2028. These are expected to be entry-level models, slotting below the existing Explorer EV and Capri SUV, both of which are around 14.5 feet long.
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Therefore, it is likely that the new Fords will be based on the AmpR Small platform used in the 3.92m Renault 5 E-Tech sedan, the 4.14m 4 E-Tech SUV and the 3.79m Twingo E-Tech city car.
The latest Nissan Micra also uses this architecture, as it is essentially a 5 E-Tech with a redesigned exterior. Renault will also produce a version of the Twingo for Nissan, but that car has not debuted yet.
We can rule out a Ford version of the Twingo as it is produced in Slovenia, meaning the new Renault-based Fords will be a Polo-sized hatchback and a Puma-class SUV.
The new Renault deal isn’t the first time Ford has partnered with a European automaker on EV technology. The existing Explorer EV and Capri EV are based on Volkswagen Group’s MEB architecture but feature bodies, interiors and interfaces designed by Ford and are manufactured by Ford at its factory in Cologne, Germany.
However, neither the Explorer EV nor the Capri EV are selling as expected, forcing Ford to scale back production and lay off 1,000 employees at its Cologne plant.
In addition to two new Renault-based electric vehicles, Ford and Renault have also signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and build light commercial vehicles, most likely vans.
Since Ford and Volkswagen already have a partnership to jointly develop and produce the Caddy/Transit Connect and Transit Custom/Transporter, this means that Renault and Ford are likely to work together in other segments as well, such as the entry-level Transit Courier and Transit/Master.
While Ford of Europe once competed in all major market segments, in recent years the company has reduced its offering with the current car range, which consists of the Puma and Kuga SUVs, the Mustang sports car and the Explorer, Capri and Mustang Mach-E electric SUVs.
Production of the Fiesta ended in 2023, while the last Focus rolled off the assembly line in November. Other vehicles that Ford of Europe has phased out in recent years include the Mondeo, the S-Max and the Galaxy.
A large part of the company’s sales now come from its extensive range of vans, which includes the Transit Courier, Transit Connect, Transit Custom and Transit models as well as their people mover sibling, the Tourneo.
While in its heyday Ford had a market share of around 12 percent and was one of the largest car manufacturers on the continent, today it has just under four percent of the European market.
Earlier this year, Ford re-committed itself to the European market, and the two Renault-based models are said to be the first of a wave of new models for the European market.
A report earlier this year said Ford was working on new hybrid models, including possibly an SUV with the hallowed Focus badge.
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