Volkswagen and Ford have said they are considering a “strategic alliance” to develop commercial vehicles.

The car making giants said on Wednesday that they were “exploring potential projects across a number of areas – including developing a range of commercial vehicles together to better serve the evolving needs of customers”.

The alliance would not involve any equity ownership arrangements, said the pair, which both have existing commercial vehicle segments.

Volkswagen produces a range of commercial vans and also owns truckmakers Scania and Man, while Ford’s most popular commercial vehicles include the Transit van and the F-series pick-up truck.

The tie-up comes as the automotive industry is under pressure to reduce reliance on diesel and follows the so-called "dieselgate" emissions scandal. Commercial vehicles are particularly reliant on the fuel and the new models are likely to move away from diesel engines.

Thomas Sedran, head of Volkswagen group strategy, said: “Markets and customer demand are changing at an incredible speed.