A recent news report that Ford is going solar with their manufacturing facilities raises some interesting questions for both Ford and Tesla enthusiasts: Is Ford mimicking Tesla or is it just catching up? And, what does this mean for Ford and Tesla enthusiasts?
Last February Ford announced that it was entering into an all-electric future through a new $1 billion investment to modernize its vehicle assembly facility in Cologne, Germany, one of its largest manufacturing centers in Europe and the home of Ford of Europe. The investment will be a retooling of Ford’s existing vehicle assembly operations into the Ford Cologne Electrification Center for the manufacture of electric vehicles - Ford’s first such facility in Europe.
Innovation and Growth Make Ford and Tesla Enthusiasts More Similar
A recent news report that Ford is going solar with their manufacturing facilities raises some interesting questions for both Ford and Tesla enthusiasts: Is Ford mimicking Tesla or is it just catching up? And, what does this mean for Ford and Tesla enthusiasts?
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Last February Ford announced that it was entering into an all-electric future through a new $1 billion investment to modernize its vehicle assembly facility in Cologne, Germany, one of its largest manufacturing centers in Europe and the home of Ford of Europe. The investment will be a retooling of Ford’s existing vehicle assembly operations into the Ford Cologne Electrification Center for the manufacture of electric vehicles - Ford’s first such facility in Europe.
With Ford’s promise to go all-electric in Europe by 2030, it will need to introduce a lot of EVs in a a relatively short period of time. Reports suggest that it may return to Volkswagen for help with that.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports that Ford is close to reaching a final decision on the prospect of introducing a second vehicle on the MEB electric platform. The talks could lead to an agreement in the coming weeks.
“As we have said previously, there is the potential for a second all-electric vehicle based on the platform to be built in Cologne, and that is still under consideration,” Ford said in a statement.
Ford Invests in Valencia to Support Battery Pack Assembly
Photo: Ford
Ford has announced that it will invest an additional 5.2 million euros ($6.3 million) in its Valencia operations to support its shift to electrified vehicles. Following an initial investment of 24 million euros ($29 million), the investment supports increased battery pack production for Ford vehicles. Ford will also build a new 2.5-liter Duratec hybrid engine at the plant starting next year.
Ford Motor Company of Europe Vice President of Manufacturing Kieran Cahill calls the move “another step on Ford’s electrification journey, providing a bridge to an all-electric passenger vehicle future, and demonstrating our continuing commitment to our manufacturing operations in Valencia where we have invested around $3 billion since 2011.”