Electrifying the Future
Ford is evolving into an automotive and a mobility company. To do that, we aim to stay ahead of the curve in terms of electric innovation, to create cleaner, more efficient vehicles and to deliver affordable electric vehicles at scale.
With nearly two decades of experience in electrification under our belt, we continue to help countries like China, India, France and the U.K. meet their targets of phasing out vehicles powered solely by fossil fuels between 2030 and 2040.
We’re increasing our investment in electric vehicles to $11 billion in the next five years. Our goal is to have 24 hybrid and 16 fully electric vehicles in our portfolio by 2022.
“We’re all in on this and we’re taking our mainstream vehicles, our most iconic vehicles, and we’re electrifying them. If we want to be successful with electrification, we have to do it with vehicles that are already popular.”
Coming Back to the Motor City
Team Edison – Ford’s newly established electric vehicle team – is relocating to a former factory in Detroit’s historic Corktown neighborhood, along with our self-driving vehicle team.
The future of mobility is electrified and self-driving, and both teams are working hard to develop innovative new vehicles that will enhance life in urban environments. Team Edison will bring together our work in technology, product development, marketing and advanced manufacturing to develop winning battery-electric vehicles. Working in Detroit will help the teams develop an intimate understanding of how the next generations of vehicles will operate in cities.
In June 2018, we also announced the acquisition of the long-closed Michigan Central Station, as well as a neighboring book depository. These sites will help us continue to expand our presence in the community.
Led by Sherif Marakby, the teams in Corktown are planning to see Ford’s first hybrid-electric vehicle with self-driving capabilities roll off assembly lines in 2021.
Our Big Push in Asia Pacific
Ford is delivering an ambitious electrification plan for China. To meet the growing need for electric vehicles in the world’s largest auto market, we’re providing consumers with a broad range of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles.
By 2025, we will launch at least 15 new electrified vehicles from Ford and Lincoln, including Ford’s all-new fully electric small SUV, manufactured by the Changan Ford joint venture. By this time, all models manufactured in China through Changan Ford, and 70 percent of all Ford nameplates in the country, will include electrified options. The first electric vehicle under this plan, the Ford Mondeo Energi plug-in hybrid, went on sale in March 2018.
We’re also partnering with Zotye Auto to establish the Zotye Ford Automobile Co., a 50:50 joint venture that will build a range of stylish and affordable all-electric vehicles for Chinese consumers under a new brand.
In India, we’re working with the Mahindra Group to co-develop a small electric vehicle. Building on Mahindra’s existing portfolio of commercial electric vehicles, the collaboration, announced in March 2018, will take advantage of our global reach and connectivity technologies, and Mahindra’s work with LG Chem on advanced lithium-ion battery technology.
What’s New in Electrified Vehicles?
Cleaner City Air
Our PHEV Ford Transit Custom van is the centerpiece of a multimillion-dollar project to improve air quality in London and Valencia. A 12-month trial was launched last year in London, and the project is now being extended to Spain. The fleet of vans running solely on electric power will explore how they might contribute to cleaner air targets, as well as enhanced productivity.
A Global Partnership
Ford is a founding partner – along with BMW Group, Daimler AG, and Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche – of IONITY, a pan-European joint venture to develop the continent’s most efficient fast-charging network for electric vehicles. Together, we plan to build 400 fast-charging stations in key European locations by 2020. The first one opened in Germany earlier this year.
Delivering Change
We’re partnering with Deutsche Post DHL Group to produce electric delivery vans. In 2017, almost 150 StreetScooter WORK XLs – based on a Ford Transit chassis fitted with a battery-electric drivetrain – were used to support the group’s urban parcel delivery service in Germany. We plan to build 2,500 more by the end of 2018.