Renault Group and Ford have formed a strategic partnership for passenger and commercial vehicles, starting with two affordable electric cars in Europe.

The two companies have signed a partnership agreement to develop two Ford-branded passenger electric vehicles based on Renault Group's Ampere platform. The cars will be manufactured by Renault Group in France (northern France, at the ‘ElectriCity’ facility).

The planned new vehicles are expected to arrive in showrooms in 2028.

Additionally, the companies will explore the opportunity to collaborate in the commercial vehicle segment in Europe, to jointly develop and manufacture Renault- and Ford-branded selected light commercial vehicles (LCVs).

GlobalData analyst Justin Cox told Just Auto: "This partnership reflects heightened competition in the European light vehicle marketplace and the entry of Chinese OEMs with low price BEVs. This is a way for both OEMs to reduce costs on future electric vehicles - both cars and potentially, light commercial vehicles, where Ampere has already invested heavily in software engineering and platform development."

The companies said the partnership will combine the expertise and industrial scale of Renault Group and Ford in Europe and will enhance the competitiveness of both parties.

François Provost, CEO Renault Group said: "Renault Group is proud to announce a new strategic cooperation with Ford, an iconic car manufacturer. This partnership 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."

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."