Volkswagen closed a partnership a few days ago as a result of which they will collaborate in the development of electric cars (specifically, Ford will be able to make use of the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric modular platform to develop “one or two” models).
According to Ford, its electric models based on the MEB platform will be “highly differentiated” from Volkswagen’s proposals. The American automaker’s electric car will be designed and manufactured in the European R&D center that the manufacturer has near Cologne (Germany). This way, despite using external technology, it will be its model and not a simple redial.
According to Stuart Rowley, President of Ford of Europe: “We are very focused on the fact that these products are Ford. They will look like a Ford and will behave like a Ford, they will feel like a Ford, and Ford will build them.” According to the executive, the addition to the range of a second electric car based on the MEB platform is still under study.
At the time it was leaked that Ford had asked its Volkswagen partner to modify the MEB platform to allow the use of longer hoods (the Volkswagen Group models based on the MEB platform will take advantage of its 100% electric configuration to reduce the size of its nose to a minimum, improving the use of space). Therefore, everything seems to indicate that Ford will differentiate themselves through a more conservative design and closer to that of a thermal car.
The first Ford model, based on the MEB platform, will arrive in 2023. Throughout its six-year commercial career, the American brand expects to sell a total of 600,000 units of the vehicle (that is, an average of 100,000 units per year). A figure relatively ambitious that could be reinforced if the arrival of a second model is finally approved.
Although Ford has its electric technology (the Mustang Mach-E, the future electric F-150, and Transit, etc.), it lacks the necessary capacity to launch truly affordable electric cars, which is why it has decided to ally itself with Volkswagen. Despite everything, both Ford and Volkswagen affirm that their models, even sharing technology, will continue to be rivals in the market.