France - Renault Trucks SAS of Lyon, France (a subsidiary of the Volvo Group) announced it would, in March, start series production of its D and D Wide ZE (zero emission) medium-duty electric trucks at its Blainville-sur-Orne plant. (It is highly likely production has been delayed by COVID 19).

There has been the installation of various new facilities at the Blainville-sur-Orne site within a new 1,800 sq. m. building on a site adjacent to the main assembly line. The new, so-called the Z.E. building, is entirely dedicated to technical operations relating to electric vehicles: A week ahead of the assembly process various sub-assemblies, specific to all-electric vehicles (drive, engine, gearbox, central unit, etc.), are assembled by skilled technicians. The drivetrains are then transported/transferred to the main D (distribution) assembly line to be mounted onto the vehicle. Both the D and D Wide Z.E. electric models are assembled on the same line as the equivalent diesel trucks, which has been producing 262 cabs and distribution trucks each day. At the end of the assembly line, the electric trucks are then returned to the Z.E. building for the technicians to carry out additional technical operations and quality tests.