New Ford Fiesta EV on the way under massive Renault tech share deal

Ford and Renault have announced a momentous alliance to share electric-car platform technology, opening the door for a reborn Fiesta EV based on the Renault 5 E-Tech. The partnership will see the first of two new Ford electric cars reach showrooms in early 2028, Auto Express can reveal.

The deal, announced today (Tuesday 9 December), enables Ford to use the Renault Ampere electric-car architecture found on the Renault 4, R5 and Alpine A290, as well as the forthcoming Twingo urban EV. It would also allow Ford access to Renault’s battery and motor technology, granting the US brand much-needed scale in the European small-car segment.

The resulting models – a small hatchback to revive the Fiesta and a second small EV – will have unique bodies rather than be badge-engineered Renaults, plus bespoke chassis-tuning in a bid to deliver Ford's engaging driving dynamics. 

"We're very confident that we can completely differentiate the [customer] offering," Ford of Europe president Jim Baumbick told a media call with Auto Express. "Ford will lead on the development of the design and things like the ride, steering, handling and braking to inject the uniquely Ford DNA, to support our brand positioning." He added that the differentiated designs had already been shared with key dealers and other stakeholders to get their buy-in. 

Knowing plenty about the small Ampere platform gives us a good idea of what might power a future Fiesta EV. The Renault 5, for example, is offered with a choice of 40kWh and 52kWh batteries – the latter boosting range to a possible 252 miles on the WLTP test cycle. The bigger-battery car gets a more powerful 148bhp motor good for 0-62mph in less than eight seconds.

The deal is all about economies of scale and getting access to a competitive platform and its manufacturing base: the new Fiesta and its electric sibling will be assembled at Renault's 'ElectriCity' complex in Northern France. It's also about moving fast: Renault is proud of having set-up a Chinese centre to speed up its design and EV engineering process, developing the 2026 Twingo in under two years as a result. Ford will clearly benefit from this – the first vehicle will be on the market in 2028, a similar timeline to Twingo.  

Jim Farley, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company said: "The strategic partnership with Renault Group marks an important step for Ford and supports our strategy to build a highly efficient and fit-for-the future business in Europe. We will combine Renault Group’s industrial scale and EV assets with Ford’s iconic design and driving dynamics to create vehicles that are fun, capable, and distinctly Ford in spirit."

François Provost, CEO Renault Group said: "Renault Group is proud to announce a new strategic cooperation with Ford. This shows the strength of our partnership know-how and competitiveness in Europe. In the long term, combining our strengths with Ford will make us more innovative and more responsive in a fast-changing European automotive market."

Will there be a Fiesta ST?

Sharing the Renault Group’s EV knowhow could well see the return of Ford’s hallowed ST badge. A Fiesta ST based on the Alpine hatchback is a possibility, with that car getting an uprated e-motor sending up to 217bhp to the front axle. The A290 GTS gets thoroughly revised suspension, revised geometry and a wider track width as well.

A revived ST would sit well with Ford's strategy of doubling down on performance products, epitomised by cars such as the 911-chasing Mustang GTD, or the Ford Ranger Raptor pick-up with a 288bhp V6.  

"Look at how we've evolved the global portfolio: we are leaning into enthusiast products and passion products. Ford is at [its] best when we connect with customers at an emotional level [enabling them to] do things that they love to do," Baumbick told Auto Express.

Will the second model revive the Focus?

The deal is focused on B-segment small cars, said Jim Baumbick, where Ford is already present with the Puma Gen-E model. It's built in Romania and powered by motors assembled in Ford's British Halewood plant. 

The second EV is therefore unlikely to replace the Puma Gen-E. "I see these two vehicles as an augment to Puma," said Baumbick. So it's likely Ford plans to push into the affordable EV segment by launching a baby SUV paired with the Dacia Spring replacement, or reviving the Ford Ka using the Renault Twingo as a base.  

Ford currently partners with Volkswagen for its bigger, 'C-segment' cars, the Ford Explorer and Capri electric SUVs. The execution slightly differs from the Renault partnership because Ford has installed VW's MEB platform in its Cologne plant, rather than tap into its partner's industrial base. So don't expect the larger of the two Ampere platforms, which underpins Renault's Megane and Scenic, plus the Nissan Ariya and Alpine A390, to revive the recently axed Ford Focus as a Volkswagen ID.3 rival. 

And the partnership may not end at passenger cars. While still to be finalised, the two brands have also signed a letter of intent (LOI) to collaborate on light commercial vehicles (LCV), utilising Ford’s expertise and dominance in this area.

Used Ford Fiesta deals

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