Ford accelerates the electrification process in Europe, leaning towards a 100% electric future. By 2024, seven new battery-only models will arrive, split between four commercial vehicles and three cars. Among the latter, the electron version of the Puma stands out which will be followed by two crossovers, one of medium size with 500 km of autonomy and the other sportier. These two cars that are currently unknown will be built on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform and will be produced in Cologne with an investment of
2 billion dollars, while the Puma full electric will be produced in Craiova, Romania. The Transit range, for its part, will be enriched with four new electric models: the new Transit Custom Van 1 tonne and the Tourneo Custom in 2023, the next generation of Transit Courier and Tourneo Courier, in 2024.
This plan follows the latest actions of the American company, which has created a new global business unit – called Ford Model e – focused on the design, production and distribution of 100% electric vehicles. “Europe challenges our entire industry to produce better, cleaner and more digital vehicles. Ford is fully involved in change and is moving fast to meet demand in Europe and around the world, ”said Jim Farley, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company. Farley then explained the creation of the Ford Model unit and “It gives us the ability to move with the speed of a start-up to build electric vehicles that can surprise and offer unique connected services.” Speaking of numbers, Ford expects its annual sales of electric vehicles in Europe to exceed 600,000 units in 2026, while it intends to bring its European operating margin to 6% by 2023.
Looking at the global market, however, Ford aims to globally sell more than two million electric vehicles by 2026, generating a total operating margin of 10%. All this will be accompanied by a reduction in CO2 emissions with the aim of achieving zero emissions for all vehicles sold and carbon neutrality for all European plants, logistics and suppliers by 2035. Finally, Ford has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SK on Co. and Koc Holding to create a joint venture in Turkey, near Ankara. The aim is to create one of the largest European battery manufacturing plants. The plant will be ready by the middle of the decade and will have a capacity between 30 and 45 gWh per year; will produce high-Nikel NMC cells ready to be assembled into battery modules.
