Renault and Ford have entered into an unprecedented partnership: the French manufacturer will produce two Ford-badged electric models at its plants in Hauts-de-France, based on the Ampere platform and intended for the European market. Planned for 2028, this cooperation aims to reduce costs, strengthen the affordable electric range and respond to growing competition, particularly from China.
A strategic partnership
On 9 December 2025, Renault Group and Ford Motor Company formalised an industrial alliance that will shape the European electromobility ecosystem. The agreement provides for the production in France of two 100% electric Ford models, assembled at the ElectriCity hub in Hauts-de-France. They are expected to go on sale in early 2028. For Ford, this strategy is part of a far-reaching reorganisation of its portfolio in Europe, with the aim of offering more accessible electric vehicles based on industrial capacity that is already operational. Both models will use the Ampere platform developed by Renault, while Ford will retain the design, styling and dynamic calibration.
Future models will be all-electric and produced in France, confirming the growing importance of French industrial sites in the European value chain. They will be based on the same Ampere architecture as the Renault group’s forthcoming electric city cars. While Ford will use this technical base, it intends to preserve its brand identity. The agreement is clearly aimed at competitive pricing, which is vital if Ford is to face up to the massive influx of aggressively-priced Asian manufacturers.
A necessary rapprochement
The alliance is not limited to passenger cars. The two groups are already talking about a potential extension into light commercial vehicles (LCVs), with the aim of building a new generation of electric vans by sharing platforms, battery modules and technological infrastructures. This move reflects a global trend in the sector: pressure on costs, particularly in R&D, battery cells and power electronics, is encouraging manufacturers to work together to secure their competitiveness.
The dynamics of the European market reinforce this need. As Ford pointed out, Western carmakers are now facing a « fight for lives » in the face of the lightning acceleration of Chinese models, which are often offered at much lower prices. For Ford, accelerating electrification while limiting industrial costs has become a strategic imperative. For Renault, the challenge is to optimise the utilisation rate of its French factories and to confirm Ampere as the benchmark electric platform on the continent. This agreement will bring additional industrial volumes and help to stabilise employment in the Hauts-de-France region.
What impact will this have on French industry?
With the arrival of Ford on its production lines, ElectriCity has established itself as one of Europe’s leading centres for the production of electric vehicles. Able to assemble for several brands, the French hub is strengthening its appeal and consolidating France’s position at the heart of European supply chains. On a sectoral scale, this alliance reflects a profound reorganisation: the cost of electric platforms, batteries and on-board software is driving manufacturers to increase synergies in order to recoup their investments.
For Ford, these two models mark a turning point in its offensive into affordable electric vehicles. For Renault, the agreement legitimises Ampere as an industrial and technological tool that can be exported beyond its own range. If the collaboration around LCVs is confirmed, or if European CO₂ requirements become stricter, this rapprochement could be extended. In a rapidly changing market, the Renault-Ford tandem illustrates a strategy of industrial resilience that could foreshadow new balances in the European electric car.
Sources: Renault Group Media – globenewswire.com – Media.Ford.com – Reuters
