The new equal-share joint venture between Renault Group and Volvo Group should begin operations in 2024, with van production planned to start in 2026.
Renault Group is increasingly developing away from the recently relaunched Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance: the new joint venture with the Volvo Group once again confirms the hypothesis that the alliance today is more of a political than a business structure . Let us recall that in July a giant motor joint venture between the Renault Group and the Geely holding began operating, and in September it became known that the Renault Group was abandoning joint purchases with Nissan and Mitsubishi. Now the key partner of the Renault Group in the project of a new generation electric van has been identified, it has become the Swedish Volvo Group.
The Volvo Group should not be confused with Volvo Cars — the passenger car company is now owned by Geely, and the Volvo Group, along with a dozen other subsidiaries, includes Volvo Trucks, Renault Trucks and Mack Trucks. Volvo has never produced light or even electric vans before (although it participated in the development of the LEVC van), and Renault’s current range of electric vans consists of conversion models made on the basis of “hydrocarbon” sources.
Renault EZ-FLEX
Renault has been working on the project of an electric van made from scratch for a long time: back in 2019, the French brand presented a very compact but roomy EZ-FLEX van, its overall length is 3.86 m, width — 1.65 m, height — 1. 88 m. A batch of EZ-FLEX prototypes was tested in parks of potential customers; in 2021, the van project was transferred to a new subsidiary brand Mobilize, but there is still no production version.
Last year, when the Renault Group unveiled a new master plan, the new generation of electric vans was designated FlexEVan and was said to be being developed by subsidiary Flexis.
In February this year, when a project to restart the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance was presented, it was reported that in Europe Renault FlexEVan electric vans would have clones under the Nissan brand, but in the final agreement announced in July, there was no mention of joint models within the alliance.
Renault EZ-FLEX 1/2 
Renault EZ-FLEX 2/2
Now it has become clear that the production of new generation vans will be carried out by a new joint venture between Renault Group and Volvo Group, both companies will invest 300 million euros in it over the next three years. A third player is also announced in the new joint venture — the French logistics company CMA CGM; it will invest 120 million euros, but apparently will not receive shares: press releases from the Renault Group and Volvo Group say that the new joint venture will be divided equally between the two companies, then there is 50/50. The joint venture should start operating next year after the deal is approved by all regulatory authorities, and the start of production of vans is planned for 2026 — most likely, it will be established at the existing Renault plant in Sandouville, France.
Renault EZ-FLEX 1/2 
Renault EZ-FLEX 2/2
Very little is said about the van itself in today's press release: it is known that it will be based on a new modular skateboard platform with an 800-volt electrical architecture and that the van will be very compact and maneuverable, meaning it will probably be development of the EZ-FLEX project, but on a more modern platform, tailored for fast charging and wide possibilities for digital customization. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance is not mentioned in any way in connection with the new joint venture.
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