Renault Group and Ford Motor Company on Tuesday said they signed a major strategic partnership to accelerate their electric vehicle (EV) plans in Europe, marking one of the most significant cross-industry collaborations in the region’s fast-evolving automotive landscape.
At the core of the alliance is an agreement to jointly develop two Ford-branded electric passenger vehicles, both designed by Ford but based on Renault Group’s Ampere EV platform.
The models will be manufactured at Renault’s ElectriCity facilities in northern France, with the first vehicle expected to reach European showrooms in early 2028.
Why the partnership?
The partnership aims to leverage Renault’s industrial scale and competitive EV assets while integrating Ford’s signature design language, driving dynamics and user-experience features.
The companies said the collaboration would improve cost efficiencies and accelerate product development at a time when European automakers face increasing pressure from tightening regulations and growing competition from global EV players.
Renault Group CEO François Provost said, “This partnership shows the strength of our partnership know-how and competitiveness in Europe. Combining our strengths with Ford will make us more innovative and more responsive in a fast-changing European automotive market.”
Ford CEO Jim Farley said, “We will combine Renault Group’s industrial scale and EV assets with Ford’s iconic design and driving dynamics to create vehicles that are fun, capable and distinctly Ford in spirit.”
Alongside the EV collaboration, the two companies have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to explore a joint development and manufacturing programme for selected light commercial vehicles (LCVs) in Europe.
