New MEB SUV good for 30,000 units in 2023
Ford has assured itself of sufficient batteries in the coming years by closing new deals with suppliers around the world. The biggest news: the arrival of LFP batteries from the Chinese CATL.
Ford, like many other automakers, has big EV plans. In these times of shortages, it is clearer than ever that it is important to have your supplier portfolio in order, because a lack of ingredients can just throw a spanner in the works. Ford is proud to announce that it has secured a supply of 60 Gigawatt hours (gWh, 1 million kWh) of batteries per year. That should be enough for the 600,000 EVs Ford plans to build next year. 100 kWh per car is solid, but let’s not forget that the Ford F-150 Lightning in basic form already has 98 kWh on board. More expensive versions even get 131 kWh, so with the minimum 75 kWh of the Mustang Mach-E there seems to be a nice average.
However, the number must increase rapidly, because in 2026 already 2 million EVs are to be built. To cope with all this growth, Ford has made agreements with various suppliers. For example, the Chinese CATL will supply nickel- and cobalt-free LFP batteries. CATL is already doing that for Tesla, which mounts these batteries in the cheapest version of the Model 3. LFP batteries have a somewhat lower energy density, but also have practical advantages. For example, it doesn’t hurt to charge up to 100 percent with the Teslas, which is better avoided with more traditional batteries. The LFP batteries are intended for both the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning, initially for the American market.
In addition to the deal with CATL, Ford is also boosting existing agreements with the Korean LG, SK On from the same country and the Polish LGES.
MEB model good for 30,000 pieces
Ford immediately explains how it will come to those 600,000 EVs in 2023. The Mustang Mach-E must be good for almost half with 270,000 copies. The Ford F-150 Lightning contributes 150,000 copies. The electric Ford Transit and Ford Transit Custom also account for 150,000 units. That leaves 30,000 copies. This is due to a new electric SUV from Ford specially developed for Europe, of which 30,000 should be delivered next year. In subsequent years, that number will grow significantly, says the car manufacturer. This car is a five-seater that is on Volkswagen’s MEB platform, as part of the collaboration between Volkswagen and Ford. The car will be built in Cologne and should have a range of about 500 kilometers.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl