When Ford Motor Company announced that it would be ending its manufacturing operations in India back in September of last year, that also somewhat spelled the end for the Ford EcoSport, which is currently produced at the automaker’s Chennai Assembly plant. Previously, Ford EcoSport production was slated to end at the conclusion of May, but an ongoing strike at the Chennai plant extended that timeline by a couple of months, though that strike has now ended, as Ford Authority reported earlier today. Regardless, with its workers back on the assembly line, Ford plans to build 1,500 more EcoSports before the plant closes and production of the crossover comes to an end in that country, according to Economic Times India.
An anonymous source revealed that little tidbit of information, and also noted that the Chennai plant is currently building around 130 vehicles per day. However, the plant is also operating on just one shift, and only half of the facility’s employees – 1,300 of 2,600 – are currently on site. The rest remain on call in case Ford needs them to wrap up operations at the plant, which is scheduled to close at the end of July.
A refreshed EcoSport was reportedly in the works for India with plans to launch last year, but FoMoCo’s decision to shutter production at the Chennai plant this year effectively ended those plans. Ford previously stated that it will continue to produce the crossover at the Craiova Assembly plant in Romania for the European market, but recently transferred ownership of that facility to Ford Otosan, which will build the next-generation Transit Courier there starting in 2023, an all‑electric version of that model following in 2024, and the Puma EV in 2024 as well.
In the meantime, the EcoSport received a few notable changes for the 2022 model year. The crossover dropped the turbocharged Ford 1.0L I-3 EcoBoost powerplant from the lineup, making the 2.0L I-4 the EcoSport’s sole engine option, and it also now comes standard with all-wheel drive, as Ford Authority reported last September. Meanwhile, the 2022 EcoSport also received a minor price increase of $50 across all trims, as Ford Authority previously reported, while destination charges also increased by $50 – from $1,245 in 2021 to $1,295 for the 2022 model year.
We’ll have more on the EcoSport soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford EcoSport news and non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comment
Had an Ecosport as a loaner for a couple weeks while the F-150 was waiting on parts. That little car was like an empty beer can on wheels. Will take a pass on it!