Ford, Volkswagen Ally to Push E-mobility
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Ford, Volkswagen Ally to Push E-mobility

Photo by:   Pixabay, renehesse
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Sofía Garduño By Sofía Garduño | Journalist & Industry Analyst - Tue, 03/15/2022 - 08:44

Ford Motor Company and the Volkswagen Group (VW) will join forces, allowing the first to produce an electric vehicle (EV) using the latter's modular electric drive matrix (MEB).

 

“Our strategic alliance with Volkswagen is an important element of Ford’s commitment to offer an all-electric range of vehicles that are uniquely Ford and designed to meet the mobility needs of a modern Europe that is leading the fight against climate change,” said Stuart Rowley, President, Ford for Europe. This alliance is part of Ford’s plans for an all-electric future, which include seven new all-electric, fully-connected passenger vehicles and vans by 2024, said Rowley.

 

Ford had previously allied with VW to use the MEB in the production of 600,000 units of an all-electric crossover. VW’s MEB platform, constituted of a series of modules with 12 cells of ionic lithium batteries, is characterized for its flexibility to adapt to different vehicles, including the ID and Buzz. The platform is already being used by five different brands in 10 electric models.

 

VW won the 22nd Porsche Prize, awarded by the Vienna University of Technology, due to MEB’s capability to reduce costs while accelerating electrification. VW is setting its sights on becoming a platform supplier for EVs in addition to its core business. “Today’s agreement will further accelerate the electrification of the two companies. This is also proof of the strengths of the MEB, which provides a unique package of high-tech, competitive costs and speed in implementing projects. The electric platform is thus the ideal solution for companies looking to speed up their electrification,” said Thomas Schmall, CEO, VW Group Components.

 

Although this alliance will primarily impact the EU's market, VW has plans of offering innovative electric vehicles in Mexico, such as the new ID Buzz. This vehicle is VW’s first zero-emission car to enter large-scale production but there is no specific date for its arrival in the country.

 

EVs are still not too popular in Mexico because the country lacks incentives to increase their demand. Currently, electric and hybrid vehicles enjoy a 20 percent discount on highways, preferential tariffs for EV domestic charger points and the exemption of specific taxes, according to the Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA). Nonetheless, these have not been enough to accelerate the transition to electromobility.  According to J.D Power, by 2030, only 17 percent of the total vehicle sales will correspond to electric or hybrid cars. 

 

Photo by:   Pixabay, renehesse

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