Ford has announced significant strides toward an all-electric future in Europe. The company plans to introduce three new electric passenger vehicles and four new electric commercial vehicles in Europe by 2024 and to sell more than 600,000 electric vehicles in the region by 2026.
Starting in 2023, Ford will begin production of the all-electric passenger vehicle, a medium-sized crossover built-in Cologne, with a second electric vehicle added to the Cologne production lineup in 2024. The company has confirmed that the first volume all-electric passenger vehicle to come out of the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre will be a five-seat, medium-sized crossover. The all-electric crossover is capable of a 500 km (310 miles) driving range on a single charge. The vehicle and its name will be revealed later in 2022, with production commencing in 2023.
The second, all-electric passenger vehicle, a sports crossover, will join the lineup in 2024. The investment in the new electric passenger vehicles to be built in Cologne is expected to be $2 billion.
Ford’s iconic Transit range will include four new electric models – the all-new Transit Custom one-tonne van and Tourneo Custom multi-purpose vehicle in 2023, and the smaller, next-generation Transit Courier van and Tourneo Courier multi-purpose vehicle in 2024. In addition, the European customers will be able to purchase an all-electric version of the Ford Puma, Ford’s popular compact crossover, from 2024.
To support Ford’s ambitious vehicle electrification plans, Ford, SK On Co., Ltd., and Koç Holding have partnered to create a new battery manufacturing plant in Turkey that is set to become one of Europe’s largest. The plant will manufacture high Nickel NMC cells for assembly into battery array modules. Production is intended to start as early as mid-decade, with an annual capacity likely to be in the range of 30 to 45 Gigawatt hours.
“These new Ford electric vehicles signal what is nothing less than the total transformation of our brand in Europe – a new generation of zero-emission vehicles, optimized for a connected world, offering our customers truly outstanding user experiences,” said Stuart Rowley, chair, Ford of Europe.
