Renault Group has secured full ownership of Flexis, buying out stakes held by Volvo Group and CMA CGM Group after obtaining the required regulatory approvals. The acquisition gives Renault Group sole control of the Trafic Van E-Tech Electric, which it bills as the first fully electric van built on a software-defined vehicle (SDV) platform.

Renault Group acquired Volvo Group’s 45% stake and CMA CGM Group’s 10% interest in Flexis, a venture established to develop electric vans for urban logistics markets. Renault Group said the change in governance does not affect the product ambitions or the original industrial plan for the vehicle.

Development of the Trafic Van E-Tech Electric has been progressing since 2024, based on a skateboard platform that integrates an 800V electric powertrain and the SDV architecture. The vehicle is designed to address the needs of urban logistics operators and fleet managers under pressure to cut emissions from delivery operations.

Production of the Renault Trafic Van E-Tech Electric is set to begin at Renault Group’s Sandouville plant in France at the end of 2026, in line with the original production schedule. Renault Trucks, part of Volvo Group, will also market the vehicle from 2027, continuing the longstanding commercial relationship between the two groups in light commercial vehicles.

Why this matters:

• Full ownership removes the governance friction that typically slows joint venture product programmes.With Volvo Group and CMA CGM bought out, Renault can integrate the Flexis platform directly into its broader SDV and Ampere roadmap without negotiating competing priorities — a meaningful operational advantage given how tight the late-2026 production timeline is.
• Volvo Group retaining a marketing role without an ownership stake is an unusual structure.It preserves the commercial relationship while giving Renault unilateral control over technology direction — but it also raises questions about how aligned the two parties will remain as the platform evolves beyond its initial model.