Renault and Plug Power to develop fuel-cell commercial vehicles

PARIS: French carmaker Renault and US hydrogen specialist Plug Power have joined forces to develop hydrogen-powered light commercial vehicles (LCV), they said on Tuesday.

The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to launch a France-based 50-50 joint venture by the end of June, targeting a more than 30% share of the fuel cell-powered LCV market in Europe, a joint statement said.

The joint venture will combine Renault’s vehicle manufacturing capabilities with the fuel cell and hydrogen system manufacturing knowledge of Plug Power, establishing a fuel cell stack and system manufacturing centre in France for integration into LCV platforms.


The centre will also provide hydrogen refuelling systems.

Plug Power, which has a market value of more than US$25 billion, says it has deployed over 40,000 fuel cell systems for e-mobility, more than anyone else in the world, and has become the largest buyer of liquid hydrogen.

Renault, with a market value of over US$13 billion, sold close to 3.8 million vehicles in 134 countries in 2019. It has 40 manufacturing sites, and employs more than 180,000 people.