Ford opens US$ 2 billion plant to produce electrics in Germany

By Redação AutoIndústria|6/13/23 | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

Ford concluded the transformation of its almost-centenarian plant in Cologne, Germany, into the first of its global manufacture network able to produce carbon-neutral full-electric vehicles. Construction works and equipment costed US$ 2 billion. The inauguration ceremony reunited Ford’s president, Bill Ford, and the German chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The Cologne EV Center will begin to produce this year the electric Explorer SUV for the European market. Built on Volkswagen’s MEB platform – the basis of VW’s ID4, among others – the new car will be in the market only in 2024. Meanwhile, Ford admits the possibility of a second model on the same platform, a sporty crossover.

“The Cologne EV Center signals the start of a new era for Ford in Europe,” said Martin Sander, Ford’s general manager of electric vehicles operations in Europe. Founded in 1930, the Cologne plant produced more than 18 million vehicles since the Model A and still makes the compact Fiesta, which will be discontinued next month.

Able to produce 250 thousand units a year, the EV Centeris an important step for Ford towards its global plan to produce two million electric vehicles yearly by the end of 2026.

The plant got a totally new assemby line, battery assemblage and last-generation automation with cognitive and collaborative robots and augmented reality, all following the 4.0 Industry concept with high connectivity between equipment, people and vehicles.

“Opening the Cologne EV Center is the start of a new generation of clean manufacturing and electric vehicles in Europe,” said Bill Ford, Executive Chair. “This facility will now be one of the most efficient and environmentally responsible plants in the entire industry.”