Ford announced today that it is continuing to invest in an electrified future for the Ford Valencia Engine Plant in Spain, as it will build the new 2.5L Duratec hybrid engine at the plant starting in late 2022. In addition, Ford’s Valencia plant will also increase its battery pack assembly capacity following another large investment by the automaker.
“Today is 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,” said Kieran Cahill, vice president, Manufacturing, Ford of Europe.
Starting in late 2022, the Valencia Engine Plant will build the 2.5L Duratec hybrid engine for Europe which powers the Kuga PHEV as well as the Kuga, Galaxy, and S-MAX Full Hybrid models. The 2.5L Atkinson cycle petrol engine is the first of its kind to be built by Ford in Europe and reinforces the importance of PHEV and full hybrid vehicles in Ford’s current and future vehicle lineup in Europe.
The 2.5L Duratec hybrid engine – which is currently built at the Ford Chihuahua Engine Plant in Mexico – will be manufactured in Valencia alongside the 2.0L EcoBoost I-4 and 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 engines.
Ford also confirmed that it will invest an additional €5.2 million ($6.13 million USD) to support increased battery pack assembly capacity at Valencia following an initial €24 million ($28.3 million USD) investment announced in January 2020, with the facility beginning those operations in September of last year. The extra capacity is required to support increased demand for current and future electrified vehicle production.
Earlier this year, Ford announced that it is investing at least $22 billion globally in electrification, nearly twice the automaker’s previous electric vehicle investment plans, and that it is investing $1 billion to create the Ford Cologne Electrification Center in Germany for the manufacture of electric vehicles, the company’s first such facility in Europe. Ford’s first European-built, volume all-electric passenger vehicle will be built at the facility in 2023, with the potential for a second all-electric vehicle under consideration.
By mid-2026, 100 percent of Ford’s passenger vehicle range in Europe will be zero-emissions capable, all-electric or plug-in hybrid, moving to all-electric by 2030.
We’ll have more on Ford’s electrification plans soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
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