Philippe Wahl, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of La Poste group, and Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Renault group, have signed into a partnership to pursue and strengthen their cooperation on the search for eco-mobility solutions.

Since the launch of France’s low-carbon vehicle project in January 2009, La Poste group, which has the country’s largest industrial fleet with some 69,000 vehicles, has equipped itself with a complete range of electric vehicles, including small light commercial vehicles, quads, three-wheelers and electrically assisted bicycles.

The Renault group and La Poste group are working together in a wide range of fields on forward-looking issues independently of their business relations. By signing the new partnership agreement, the two French companies are pursuing their collaborative efforts on the search for eco-mobility solutions. Through research work and studies, the two groups will develop pilot projects on new mobility solutions and continue to foster the sustainable mobility of the present and future, focusing on four main areas:

1. Improving vehicle range to accelerate rollout

The two companies plan to dialogue and share information on their tests and study programs to improve the range of the clean vehicles produced by Renault that are currently part of the La Poste fleet. R&D projects have already been initiated in this area. The “MobilHyTest” range extension falls within the scope of today’s partnership.

2. Making vehicles used in urban areas cleaner

Current projects concern research into solutions for parcel delivery needs in urban, peri-urban and rural areas for 5 m3 to 17 m3 vehicles. A key player in urban logistics, La Poste every day tackles the same equation of meeting the growing demands arising from e-commerce by delivering parcels in city centers while limiting the harmful impacts stemming from traffic and parking. The aim is to generate solutions for a cleaner and quieter urban logistics better adapted to its environment, and also to improve the working conditions of mail delivery and collection staff.

3. Working on different sizes of electric vehicles

The two groups will conduct a watch, carry out tests, and dialogue on new vehicles measuring up to 17 m3 for mail use and in respect of competition law. Several new ideas have already emerged, including in the 8 m3 segment, the “service” vehicle segment and the small urban vehicle segment.

4. Contributing to future road mobility with the advent of connected vehicles

Through their collaborative work, Renault and La Poste are making an active contribution to the development of connected and communicating light commercial vehicles by 2020, as well as to their management and monitoring in professional contexts.

Source: Renault