Ford of Europe has shown us the first glimpse of its critical new electric models, the first of which is due on sale next year. We don't know a name for the car, nor much of what it looks like yet - beyond the heavily occluded images that Ford showed today - but we do know that it will be a mid-sized family crossover and that it will be based on the same MEB electric car platform as used by Volkswagen for the likes of the ID.4 and the Skoda Enyaq. We also know that it will get a sportier brother...
Distant VW cousins
Revealed by the chair of Ford of Europe, Stuart Rowley, the new Ford crossover should have a maximum possible range of around 520km (going by what its distant VW relatives can manage) and should come, primarily, with a 204hp, rear-drive electric motor, although 150hp rear-drive and 299hp twin-motor four-wheel drive versions will also be possible. As to its sportier brother, Ford isn't giving anything much away, other than that it's calling it a 'sports crossover' which suggests some kind of lower-roofed, coupe-esque version, in line with the VW ID.5 and the Skoda Enyaq Coupe.
"Let me assure you that these products will absolutely look like Fords, they'll drive like Fords, and the experiences that we provide through our new Model E business unit will provide customers with a unique purchase and ownership experience," said Rowley. There's a chance that Ford could be reviving some classic names for these models - the company has recently refreshed its European trademarks for badges such as Cortina, Capri, Granada, and Escort. Would it be too much of a stretch for the crossover to be a Cortina, while the sports crossover is a Capri, or even Granada? Given that Opel is reviving the Manta name for a new all-electric crossover, due in 2025, don't bet against it. Ford says that it plans to build and sell 1.2 million of these cars by 2030.
Electric Puma in 2024
These two new MEB-based cars will be joined by a product that's unique to Ford - an all-electric version of the hugely popular Puma small crossover, which will go into production at Ford's Craiova plant, in Romania, in 2024. As with the other new products, details are scant, but it seems that the Puma's existing Fiesta-based chassis will be adapted to accept batteries and an electric motor, and it will surely need a one-charge range of at least 320km if it's to be competitive with rivals such as Opel's Mokka-e.
These three cars are among seven new all-electric products due to go on sale in the next four years, as Ford of Europe seeks to expand its electric car sales to 600,000 per year by 2026. By 2030, the entire European passenger car line-up will be fully-electric. By 2035, Ford's entire commercial vehicle line-up will be electric, starting later this year with the much-anticipated launch of the all-electric Transit van. Ford hopes to have at least 7,000 of these delivered to customers by the end of this year.
By 2035 too, Ford wants to be fully carbon-neutral across all of its operations in Europe. The flagship factory in Cologne, Germany is getting a USD$2 billion investment to build the new MEB-based cars, as well as switching its power to locally-produced renewable electricity.
Along with Ford's US operations, Ford of Europe will divide itself up into two distinct wholes - Ford Model E Division, which will focus on designing and creating new electric passenger cars; and Ford Pro Division, which will focus on commercial vehicles and vans. Alongside the new electric Transit, electric versions of the incoming all-new Transit Courier and passenger-version Tourneo Courier will be added in 2024.
Battery 'gigafactory'
To power all of these electric cars, Ford has established a joint venture with SK On Co., Ltd. and Koç Holding to build a battery 'gigafactory' in Turkey, near the capital city, Ankara. That factory will be able to build 30 to 45 Gigawatt-hours' worth of batteries, contributing to Ford's total expected battery output by 2030 of 240 Gigawatt-hours.
"Our march toward an all-electric future is an absolute necessity for Ford to meet the mobility needs of customers across a transforming Europe," said Rowley. "It's also about the pressing need for greater care of our planet, making a positive contribution to society and reducing emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. 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, optimised for a connected world, offering our customers truly outstanding user experiences."