Ford and Renault tie the knot for affordable EVs

Ford and Renault have forged a new ‘partnership agreement’ that will see the former leverage two new affordable electric vehicles (EV) from the latter’s Ampere platform, one of which is tipped to be a new-generation Fiesta.

It’s still early days, but the writing’s on the wall for Ford to relaunch the Fiesta as an electric city car as per the Puma light SUV, albeit using French conception, gestation and DNA.

The Renault 5 is essentially an electric Clio replacement, with the Clio long being Renault’s answer to the Fiesta.

“The new models will be based on the Ampere platform, leveraging Renault Group’s strong EV assets and competitiveness, and produced by Renault Group in the North of France, illustrating Ampere’s ElectriCity’s state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities and expertise,” Ford and Renault said in a joint press release.

“Designed by Ford, developed with Renault Group, the two cars will feature distinctive driving dynamics, authentic Ford-brand DNA and intuitive experiences.”

The first of these two models will enter production in 2028, while an ETA for the other is yet to be confirmed, but the partnership goes beyond two new EVs.

Ford and Renault have also agreed to “explore the opportunity to collaborate in the commercial vehicle segment” – or in other words, co-develop some new Euro-focussed light commercial vehicles (most likely vans).

Renault is almost guaranteed to nab an all-new Trafic out of the arrangement if it proves fruitful, along with an equivalent minibus like the Tourneo.

However, we can’t totally rule out the possibility of a new-generation Renault Alaskan being spun off from the Ranger or the mystery electric ute Ford is still working on.

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