Ford signed a landmark partnership agreement with Volkswagen a few years ago, and it has led to the introduction of several new models since then – including both ICE and all-electric vehicles with shared components. That includes, of course, the European Ford Explorer EV. as well as the Ford Capri EV, both of which ride on VW’s MEB platform. By all accounts, Ford and VW’s partnership has paid off for both automakers in terms of sharing development and production costs, and figures to continue to grow moving forward, sentiments that were recently reshared by another former Blue Oval (and now VW) executive.
In a recent interview with Auto Express, Volkswagen’s head of sales and marketing, Martin Sander, said that he feels like Ford and VW’s partnership has been “very, very, very successful” thus far, adding that he does “not want to rule out that there are future opportunities here to share technology again.” That agreement created “an opportunity for [VW] to scale even more than we can, on the basis of the size of our business.”
These comments echo others we’ve heard pertaining to Ford and VW’s relationship, with Blue Oval CEO Jim Farley stating that the company has learned a lot from its partner in terms of scaling EV production. Farley also recently revealed that Ford’s EV production will double this year as the Explorer and Capri EVs find their footing in Europe, and Vice Chair John Lawler added that the company is exploring more potential partnerships as well.
As far as what its tie-up with VW might bring in the future, well, that much remains a bit murky at the moment. As of last May, Ford Europe hadn’t made any decisions on future EVs aside from its MEB platform twins – the Explorer and Capri – though it is at least thinking about bringing small cars back to that market. In another interview back in June 2023, Sander also revealed that Ford hadn’t ruled out bringing the Fiesta back as an EV riding on the MEB platform, either.
Comments
Successful? 2 models, both unwanted EVs. Well, he’s a FORMER Ford exec, so that says it right there.
Ford needed to remember how both AutoLatino and AutoEuropo worked out for them. Both were a disaster for Ford. Hope this one goes better but doubt it.