Ford and Renault are trying to prevent more Chinese cars from entering Europe. The two companies will work together to make two small electric cars that Renault will make. This could lead to a new version of the Ford Fiesta. These small cars are not the same as the $30,000 electric vehicle that Ford has been making in the US. They are planning to come to Europe in 2028. “Teamwork makes the dream work,” they say. That’s what most people in the boardrooms of Ford and Renault think, at least. A new Wall Street Journal story says the two companies are working together in Europe to better compete with Chinese automakers’ cheap electric vehicles. In the agreement, Ford will create two small electric cars, and both companies will work together to make them a reality. They will be built in France on a Renault technology platform and will be launched in 2028. We know that car companies are trying to make their cars affordable, but they haven’t said anything about how the cars will look. Could this lead to a new version of the ST that loves to have fun and the comeback of the little Fiesta, but in electric form? We’ll have to wait to see what happens. Ford is still working on an electric car for North America that will cost $30,000, but it is also pulling back on its US electric vehicle investments. But this model will be bigger than the cars Ford is working on with Renault. The Wall Street Journal reports that the two companies are also considering collaborating on industrial vans. These vans are very important to Ford’s business in Europe. Ford CEO Jim Farley told reporters in Paris, “We know we’re fighting for our lives in our industry, and there’s no better example than right here in Europe.” Farley thinks the partnership is a good idea because the French company is doing better in the European market. “Honestly, Renault is the stronger contender,” he remarked. Even though both companies have bought shares in related car makers in the past, it doesn’t seem likely that Ford and Renault will do the same. “Ford is an exceptionally autonomous company,” Farley states.
