Ford and Volkswagen Expand E-Mobility Partnership in Europe

In the expanding strategic alliance between the Volkswagen Group and Ford Motor Company, Ford will produce another electric model for the European market based on the Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) platform. Ford also plans to double its MEB volume and produce 1.2 million electric vehicles (EVs) starting in 2023.

The Ford-Volkswagen collaboration, which began in 2019, includes e-mobility, commercial vehicles, and autonomous driving.

The first Ford MEB-based model – an all-electric crossover – is expected to roll off the assembly line at the Ford Electrification Center in Cologne in 2023. The automaker, which had originally planned just one model based on MEB with a total volume of around 600,000 units, has not yet released details about the second planned model.

Designed as an open vehicle platform, the MEB allows car manufacturers to electrify their portfolio quickly and cost-effectively. The EV platform, which can be used by various brands and manufacturers, already provides the technology base for 10 EV models from five brands. MEB is primarily manufactured at three Volkswagen Group Component locations in Germany.

“Profitability and speed are now crucial for finally achieving the breakthrough of e-mobility in Europe. We are tackling both together with Ford,” said Thomas Schmall, CEO, Volkswagen Group Components.

According to Stuart Rowley, chair of Ford Europe, the alliance with Volkswagen is an important element of Ford’s future portfolio of all-electric vehicles and is “designed to meet the mobility needs of a modern Europe that is leading the fight against climate change.