Renault Group and truck manufacturer Volvo Group collaborated with French transport and logistics company CMA CGM to establish a company called Flexis to develop a new generation of fully electric pickup trucks. This coalition aims to create a brand new commercial vehicle family by bringing together the expertise of three companies.
Production Date and Models
Flexis will be based on a skateboard platform dedicated to fully electric vehicles with an 800-volt electrical architecture. The panel van model, which will first start production in 2026, will have more compact external dimensions but will have a larger cargo capacity inside. Same zamCurrently, Luton and step-in van models are also included in the production plan. These vehicles will be produced at Renault's Sandouville factory and will be designed to accommodate different body styles and battery options.
The step-in van model is especially optimized for last-mile deliveries. The minibuses will use a Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) platform based on Google's Android operating system. In this way, vehicles will be able to connect to Google Cloud and allow customers to integrate their own software.
Flexis' goal is to reduce the total operating cost of vehicles over their lifetime by 30 percent. In this way, users will be able to make significant savings on costs such as fuel, maintenance and insurance when purchasing vehicles.
Growth in the Electric Pickup Truck Market
Flexis aims to benefit from the growth in the electric pickup truck market, which is expected to increase by 40 percent every year in Europe. CMA CGM will invest up to 2026 million euros in Flexis by 120, while Renault Group and Volvo Group are planning a total investment of more than 600 million euros in the next three years.