Renault Group and Phoenix Mobility, a Grenoble-based company specialising in the conversion of commercial vehicles to electric power, have signed a letter of intent to form a strategic partnership for the development and commercial operation of a retrofit kit, the first of its kind in the French LCV market. This innovative solution enables a combustion engine commercial vehicle that is more than 5 years old to be converted to electric power.
The first stage of the partnership, in the form of a “Proof of Concept”, consist of a co-development phase with the aim of marketing a first retrofit kit for Renault Master before the end of 2023. The objective of this first stage will be to market and install around 1,000 Retrofit kits and to demonstrate to professional customers the benefits of the retrofit approach (electric driving comfort, respect for the environment, economic gains, etc.). Eventually, this innovative solution will be extended to other models.
Benefiting from the industrial know-how of the Re-Factory teams in Flins the kits will be assembled by the Renault Group on this site dedicated to the Circular Economy; Phoenix Mobility will oversee the commercial operation by relying on their expertise as a recognised operator on the BtoB retrofit market.
“Renault Group, a major player in electric vehicles, is once again positioning itself as a pioneer in developing an innovative retrofit solution in a market that is still in its infancy and has great potential. This partnership with Phoenix Mobility represents the first association between a car manufacturer and a promising start-up to launch a new commercial offer on the after-sales market and thus meet the expectations of our professional customers looking for more sustainable and more economical mobility solutions. This project is fully in line with Renault Group’s strategy to make the Re-Factory in Flins the first site dedicated to the Circular Economy of mobility.” Said François Delion, After Sales Director of Renault Group.
“Pioneer and leader in the retrofit of public and professional fleets for the past 3 years, Phoenix Mobility continues its industrialization strategy thanks to this strategic partnership with Renault Group. This new stage in our development will enable us to rapidly address the growing market demand.” Added Wadie Maaninou, Founder and CEO of Phoenix Mobility.
SOURCE: Renault Group
