TWO major car brands have united to create an electric vehicle dubbed the ‘Tesla of vans’.
Renault and the Volvo Group have established a new start-up, named Flexis, with the aim of cashing in on the demand for zero-emission commercial vehicles.
Flexis’ first model, which is a “step-in” vehicle slated to to “completely transform” how vans are perceived, will be launched in 2026, reports Autocar.
Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group, said: “This is the Tesla of the commercial vehicle in a way. That’s the way you have to see it… It’s not a white box on wheels with a diesel engine any more.”
The vehicle will be designed around city centre last-mile deliveries, with manoeuvrability and efficient use of space being prioritised.
De Meo said: “We were trying to get every second out of interaction between the driver and the van, because every 30 seconds that you save in a delivery we estimate is [worth an extra] 1% profitability for the logistics operator.
And Flexis CEO Philippe Divry said: “If we can make our vehicle more easy to drive, more friendly for people who deliver 100 or 150 packages a day, and we can keep them longer on the job, that’s much more value, much less disturbance in the customer’s operation.”
An increased rate of delivery due to more effective and user-friendly vehicles could mean customers benefiting from quicker deliveries.
A line-up of three Flexis vans – all based on a modular skateboard platform with 800V electricals – was teased in a press conference.
French freight firm CMA CGM has taken a 10% stake in the business, with Renault and Volvo Group taking 45% equity stakes.
The three groups had on October 6 last year announced they would join forces to “address the growing needs of decarbonised and efficient logistics with an all-new generation of electric vans”.
On March 22, Renault and Volvo completed creation of Flexis SAS, and are planning to invest €300 million (£257 million) respectively over the next three years.
On April 3, CMA CGM acquired their 10% stake with a strategic investment up to €120 million (£102 million) by 2026.
The motoring powerhouses claim that a new market is emerging amid factors which include climate change and CO2 regulations.
Professional customers are also now facing increasing pressure, including needing ‘electric, safer and connected vehicles’, the groups say.
Combining these factors with a boom in e-commerce and logistics means that the European market for electrified vans will grow by 40% per year until 2030, according to Flexis.
The company, which will be based in France, claims their product will be the ‘best of two worlds’.
