Ford to ditch MEB platform and use own design for future electric cars

Max McDee, 17 January 2023

Ford struck a deal with VW to use its MEB EV platform 3 years ago. The company made that decision to speed up development of its European electric car fleet. Now Ford is rethinking its approach and according to the latest report from Financial Times, the company is ready to unveil its own EV platform.

Ford made the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning on their own respective platforms, the company didn't have one suitable for a more global electric car. It made sense at the time to borrow the MEB platform from VW instead of sitting idly for two years.

Ford planned EV lineup in Europe Ford planned EV lineup in Europe

Martin Sander, who is the General Manager of electric cars at Ford Europe, explained to FT that the plan was always to use the MEB as a shortcut to enter the European market with a high volume product while focusing at the same time on developing its own EV platform.

Ford expects this VW tie-up to double its electric car sales to over 1.2 million units over the next five to six years. The company expects to unveil its new EV platform this year, which suggests development has progressed significantly.

The upcoming Ford electric crossover based on MEB platform The upcoming Ford electric crossover based on MEB platform

The company has only recently been teasing its upcoming electric crossover SUV which is based on the MEB platform. With this new development it seems we will see maybe another Ford model based on the VW underpinnings but that's about that.

Like just about every other automaker, Ford has ambitious plans to move away from combustion engines. The company wants to sell only electric passenger cars in Europe from 2030 with commercial vehicles transition to come at some point later.

Not electric but Bronco is on its way to Europe Not electric but Bronco is on its way to Europe

With the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo all getting a chop from the Ford’s lineup, the company is making a lot of room for new models. It will focus its electric efforts on SUVs though, with the first one to be mid-sized and shortly followed by a sportier version of it. The company is also bringing - for the first time ever - Bronco to Europe. It will be joined by the Ranger Raptor with its un-European performance and will likely find many fans across the Old Continent.

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Reader comments

Speaking of Ford. Why don't y'all have their electric transit vans or focuses on here?

  • Anonymous

"The company wants to sell only electric passenger cars in Europe from 2030" In the UK it won't be legal to sell ICE cars in 2030 anyway.

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