COLOGNE, Germany — Ford plans to scale back its dependence on Volkswagen Group’s EV expertise because the U.S. automaker shifts its European lineup to electric-only.
After launching two new all-electric EVs based mostly on VW Group’s MEB electric-only structure, Ford will use its personal expertise for future electrical vehicles.
VW’s MEB platform was a transitional expertise for Ford and utilizing it saved the corporate a minimum of two years of growth time, Martin Sanders, Ford’s e-car growth supervisor in Europe, instructed Automotive Information sister publication Automobilwoche.
Ford is spending $2 billion to transform its manufacturing unit in Cologne, Germany, to construct two MEB-based vehicles, whereas ending manufacturing of the long-running Fiesta hatchback there.
By 2026, Ford plans to promote 600,000 electrical automobiles a 12 months in Europe.
The primary MEB-based Ford EV will probably be unveiled in March and will probably be related in measurement to the VW ID4 crossover. Ford describes the second EV as a “sport crossover.” It should go into manufacturing subsequent 12 months in Cologne.
Ford additionally plans to transform its plant in Valencia, Spain, to construct software-defined EVs on a brand new electrical structure, starting later this decade. The plant at the moment builds the Kuga compact crossover, and the Galaxy and S-Max massive minivans.
The brand new electrical vehicles EVs inbuilt Valencia won’t use VW’s MEB structure.
“We are going to use a pure electrical platform in Valencia. For the time being, nevertheless, it’s nonetheless open as to when it will occur and which fashions we’ll construct there,” Sander stated.
The Valencia-built EVs will even use the automaker’s personal software program with superior driver-assistance options. Ford and VW closed their Argo AI autonomous car expertise firm final 12 months.
Ford has stated its passenger lineup in Europe will grow to be all-electric by 2030 and it expects two-thirds of business van gross sales to be all-electric or plug-in hybrids by the identical date.