Renault and Volvo launch ‘revolutionary’ Flexis electric vans, arriving in 2026

Flexis, a joint project between the Renault Group, truck manufacturer Volvo Group and logistics company CMA CGM, has unveiled its range of electric vans ahead of a market launch in 2026.

The companies announced they’d be working together last April, creating Flexis as a new independent entity specialising in both electric delivery vehicles and the software behind them, with a portfolio of business-to-business (B2B) services for logistics operators.

The three new vans are based on a brand new EV-dedicated skateboard platform that features an 800-volt electrical architecture. Flexis says the platform will be highly versatile to accommodate different body styles, plus two types of batteries.

As previewed in 2024, the range includes three models, which for the time being at least have self-descriptive names: the Panel van, the Cargo van and the Step-in van. Production of all three is scheduled to begin in mid-2026 at Renault’s Sandouville plant in France, and the company expects demand to total around 15,000 units over three years.

As for the vehicles themselves, the Panel van is akin to familiar models on the market such as the Renault Trafic and Ford Transit Custom. Full specifications haven’t yet been announced, other than a 1.9-metre height – slightly lower than the 1,971mm Trafic – which will help it meet height restrictions, such as those in multi-storey car parks. Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo suggested that the Panel is more roomy inside than the Trafic, and boasts a larger cargo capacity.

The Cargo van is depicted in Flexis’ images with a small box on the back, but thanks to the chassis cab design, it should be able to be adapted to many more formats – the company says it’s capable of integrating different widths, heights, beds and other modular solutions.

The Step-in van was likened by de Meo to the Renault Kangoo, and is similar to those you’d expect to see in use by delivery firms such as FedEx and UPS. It features a tall roof, tall front sliding doors, a rear shutter door and a cabin height of 1.9 metres, allowing all but the tallest of drivers to walk upright inside the vehicle.

Flexis says that all three have been designed with passenger car comfort in mind, citing, for example, how seat height has been carefully chosen to reduce the impact on a driver’s knees – important when there is a lot of getting up and down during a day’s deliveries.

All have a low load floor, too, thanks to the low-slung EV platform, maximising cargo space in what are otherwise relatively compact vehicles. The platform allows for a tight turning circle, and features a low, flat battery that can provide up to 280 miles of range. There’s also fast charging that facilitates an 80 per cent top-up in under 20 minutes.

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The vans will use a Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) platform based on Google’s Android operating system. “This allows Google to go beyond the screen into the functions of the car,” said de Meo. It will also enable the vans to be connected to the Google Cloud and allow customers who buy large numbers to integrate their own software into the vehicles. Flexis is calling the platform FlexE Connect.

Other benefits to the end user will include being able to use the existing network of Renault and Volvo dealers around Europe for servicing needs, while the brand will have a Customer Operational Centre, which clients can use for real-time fleet monitoring, diagnostics, personalised performance reports and more.

Another goal with the Flexis van project is to reduce the total cost of usage throughout the van’s life by 30 per cent. De Meo explained “if you imagine that in the life cycle of such a product people spend between €100,000 (£83,700) and €120,000 (£100,500) to pay for the gasoline, to pay for maintenance, to pay for insurance, etc. If you reduce that by 30 per cent it means that basically people will be able to buy the car for free”.

Flexis will hope to capitalise on the growth of the European market for electrified vans, which is expected to rise by 40 per cent each year until 2030. CMA CGM will invest up to 120 million euros (£100 million) in Flexis by 2026, while the Renault Group and Volvo Group plan to invest 300 million euros (£251 million) each over the next three years.

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