Opinion – Volvo, Renault and the challenge for electric commercial vehicles – Car Market

Electricity finds its logic of use, and especially with commercial vehicles, which have a very precise schedule – and almost always within the city limits – which allows the management of a fleet of 100% electric vehicles following planned cycles of routes and recharging. .

Better than the unknown that a car “with a plug” has to face, which often does not know its daily schedule in advance and lives with the anxiety of returning home without a battery nearby: without a combustion engine car at that time. it is not possible to go out, the stage if it is a theater or a restaurant, very close if there is a health emergency in the family, also because of the long-term shortage of taxis in the main cities of Italy.

Manufacturers groups are maintaining their projects on cars with battery packs (the distribution of car fleets, however, has already caused many cases of battery theft …), but at the same time they are strengthening projects and production on the new generation business. cars.

Stellantis did it, with the presentation of the entire updated range – and we wrote about it – now Renault and Volvo are announcing it, there will be a new generation of 100% electric cars manufactured at the Sandouville (Le Havre) factory on behalf of the new joint-venture Flexis SAS.

In fact, last March 22, Renault and Volvo received the necessary regulatory approval to officially launch this alliance, which will involve a strategic investment of up to 120 million euros in Flexis SAS through PULSE, the energy sector investment fund, and 300 million euros for 2026 in the French factory, with the expansion of industrial activities and employment of 550 work units.

Renault and Volvo will also start the production of a new generation of electric vans in Sandouville by 2026, among other things also aiming at the goal of zero carbon emissions by 2030 thanks also to the installation of 40 hectares of photovoltaic panels.
by MAURIZIO CALDERA