ROME – In the next two years it will be possible to touch Ford’s electrification strategy. A strong acceleration in the electric sector which will be led by the “Ford Model e” business unit created ad hoc for the design, production and distribution of 100% electric vehicles and which will act in synergy with Ford Pro dedicated to commercial electric vehicles. By 2024, therefore, seven new all-electric vehicles, three cars and four commercial vehicles will arrive, through which Ford expects its annual sales of electric vehicles in Europe to exceed 600,000 units in 2026, while globally it expects to sell more than two million. In addition to the commercial strategy, the blue oval brand has announced that by 2035 it will reach the goal of “zero emissions” for all vehicles sold, as well as carbon neutrality among all its European plants, logistics and suppliers. Next year the production of a new electric car will start, a medium crossover built in Cologne, Germany, and of a second electric model also in the Cologne plant in 2024. The European bestseller Puma, will be available in a 100% electric version from 2024 and will be produced in Craiova in Romania, while for commercial vehicles the new Transit Custom Van 1 tonne and the Tourneo Custom will arrive in 2023 and in 2024 the Transit Courier and Tourneo Courier. From the first anticipations, the new electric model will be a mid-size 5-seater crossover with a range of 500 km while the second car built at the Ford Cologne Electrification Center will instead be a sports crossover that will expand the production capacity of the plant to 1.2 millions of vehicles over a 6-year period.
The investment for the start of production of this second vehicle is approximately two billion dollars and also includes a new battery assembly plant operational from 2024. Finally, it should be noted that the electrification strategy will also be supported by the construction of one of the most large factories of the Old Continent for the production of batteries for electric vehicles. Thanks to the non-binding memorandum of understanding signed by Ford, SK on Co, and Koc Holding, the joint venture will be born in Turkey, with the factory near the capital Ankara. “I am amazed to see the pace of change in Europe: it challenges our entire industry to produce better, cleaner and more digital vehicles – said Jim Farley, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company – Ford is involved in change and moves fast. to meet demand in Europe and the rest of the world. This is why we created Ford Model and giving us the ability to move with the speed of a start-up to build electric vehicles that can surprise and offer unique connected services and that are built with the experience and safety requirements typical of Ford “.