Ford announced that Ford Otosan joint venture will assume ownership of the Craiova plant

Ford today announced significant strides toward an all-electric future in Europe, which will see the company transformed and offering a new generation of seven, all-electric, fully-connected passenger vehicles and vans by 2024.

With its extended range of electric passenger and commercial vehicle models, Ford expects its annual sales of electric vehicles in Europe to exceed 600,000 units in 2026, and also reaffirmed its intention to deliver a 6 percent EBIT margin in Europe in 2023.  The acceleration in Europe supports Ford’s goal to sell more than 2 million EVs globally by 2026 and deliver company adjusted EBIT margin of 10 percent.

Seven new electric vehicles by 2024
Following the European introduction of the all-electric Mach-E in 2021 and Mach-E GT this year, plus the launch of the E-Transit in the next quarter, Ford today unveiled plans for seven all-electric vehicles to join the Ford family in Europe – three new passenger vehicles and four new commercial vehicles.

Starting in 2023, Ford will begin production of an all-new electric passenger vehicle, a medium-sized crossover, built in Cologne with a second electric vehicle added to the Cologne production line-up in 2024. In addition, Ford’s top-selling passenger vehicle in Europe, the Ford Puma, will be available as an electric version made in Craiova, Romania, starting in 2024.

EV production and investment in Cologne
Ford confirmed today 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. In 2021, sports utilities and crossovers accounted for 58 percent of all Ford passenger vehicle sold in the continent, up nearly 20 percentage points from 2020.

Capable of a 500km driving range on a single charge, the vehicle and its name will be revealed later in 2022, with production commencing in 2023.

Today’s confirmation that a second, all-electric passenger vehicle – a sports crossover – will be built at the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre means that electric vehicle production at the facility will increase to 1.2 million vehicles over a six-year timeframe. Investment in the new electric passenger vehicles to be built in Cologne is expected to be $2 billion. The investment includes a new battery assembly facility scheduled to start operations in 2024.

Boosting EV manufacturing capacity in Craiova

Ford’s manufacturing plant in Craiova, Romania, will play a significant role in the company’s electric and commercial vehicle growth plans in Europe.

From 2024, European customers will be able to purchase an all-electric version of the Ford Puma, Ford’s popular compact crossover. The Puma was Ford’s best-selling passenger vehicle in Europe in 2021, and the all-electric Puma will bring this successful new nameplate to an even wider group of European customers when it goes into production in Craiova in 2024.

Additionally, the all-new Transit Courier, the popular light commercial vehicle, and Tourneo Courier, a compact multi-purpose vehicle, will also be produced in Craiova from 2023, with all-electric versions coming in 2024.

To further boost electric and commercial vehicle capacity, Ford announced that Ford Otosan will assume ownership of the Craiova plant and manufacturing business, subject to regulatory approval and consultation. Ford Otosan, a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding, is one of the longest running and most successful joint ventures in the global auto industry.