Ford opens EV-focused manufacturing plant in Cologne, Germany

Ford has officially opened its Electric Vehicle (EV) Center in Cologne, Germany. According to the American car brand, this high-tech facility will be its primary factory for supplying the European market with its new generation EV models. 

Ford Opens New Electric Vehicle Center in Cologne

This very same facility, however, is not a totally new structure. Instead, the brand worked on converting a historic plant in Niehl, Cologne that was first established back in 1930. Note that this is part of Ford’s $2 billion (Php 111 billion in current exchange rates) investment. The Blue Oval brand says this represents its confidence in German manufacturing as well as the future of automotive production in Europe. 

Spanning a total of 125 hectares, the refurbished plant will have an annual production capacity of 250,000 EVs. This is thanks to its state-of-the-art tooling as well as automation. Specific cars that will be rolled out from this plant include the likes of the fully-electric version of the Ford Explorer which was launched for the European market back in March 2023. An upcoming EV “sports crossover” will also be made in the same plant as well.

The fully-electric Ford Explorer for the European market

On top of that, the Cologne EV Center is Ford’s first-ever carbon-neutral plant. Its opening thus supports the American brand’s sustainability targets which include carbon neutrality for all of its Europe-based plants, suppliers, and logistics services by 2035.  

With regards to the opening of the Cologne EV Center, the marque’s Executive Chairman Bill Ford says that it will be one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly plants in the entire automotive industry. “I am thrilled to continue working toward a zero emissions future for our children and grandchildren,” Ford added. 

In connection to the local market, the Blue Oval has yet to publicly declare any plans about introducing an EV or a hybrid model. But if that time comes, it is highly likely that it will happen only after Ford establishes an EV manufacturing facility in the ASEAN region first.  

A peek inside the Ford Cologne EV Center

Reports from various news sources like Nikkei Asia and Bloomberg did say that the American car company has established a joint deal with some Asian brands that are producing EVs. Then again, the same report says that this is for a battery materials plant in Indonesia. 

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