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Ford may have walked back its decision to go all-electric in Europe by 2030, but its commitment to electrification persists. Today, Ford announced a landmark alliance with French automaker Renault to co-develop a series of small electric vehicles for the European market.
The strategic collaboration should see jointly developed EVs rolling out as early as 2028, with plans to expand the partnership to include small commercial vehicles.
Small electric EVs have long had a stronghold in the European market, favoured for their affordability, efficiency, and practicality when navigating the smaller and irregular streets of many European capitals.
Ford and Renault hope this focus will give them a competitive edge against Chinese automakers, who have historically focused on larger, mid-size vehicles.
Ford Chief Executive Jim Farley spoke on the significance of the partnership as part of a wider battle to save Europe’s precarious automotive market. In an announcement today in Paris, he said:
“We’re in the fight for our lives and our industry, and [there is] no better example than here in Europe. Together, we can create a powerhouse of light commercial vehicles in Europe. We believe this is a big differentiation compared to the Chinese.”
Ford’s partnership decision was meticulously considered, with Farley admitting the company took a full year to weigh its options before reaching a consensus. Ford reportedly chose Renault thanks to the French automaker’s impressively efficient product cycles, having produced two electric models—the Twingo and the Dacia—in less than two years.
François Provost, Chief Executive at Renault, said:
“[Our] strategy at Renault is to be as competitive, and then to even be better, than our Chinese competitors in Europe.”
The latest electric line-up will be designed by Ford and will use Renault’s Ampere platform, launched as part of Renault’s “Renaultution” strategy and used for the Renault 5. Ford has been clear that it will not sacrifice its brand integrity in the design of its vehicles, emphasising the importance of preserving “distinctive driving dynamics” and “authentic Ford-brand DNA.”
The iconic Ford Fiesta, discontinued since 2023, is expected to make a comeback under the new partnership, debuting as an all-electric model with an estimated retail price of around £23,000.
Ford has asserted that this partnership with Renault will in no way affect its existing alliance with German automaker Volkswagen to co-develop electric vans in Europe.
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