Ford Motor Co. just announced an ambitious electrification strategy for China. The global Mondeo sedan will see the Mondeo Energy plug-in hybrid launched there early next year, followed by an all-electric small SUV a few years later that will go about 280 miles on one charge.
The Detroit automaker sees 70 percent of all Ford nameplates coming with an electrified option to China by 2025; that will include all of its products manufactured jointly through Ford’s state-mandated joint venture partner, Changan Ford JV. Ford will be adding manufacturing facilities to meet the targets.
Ford is taking a more tepid approach to the U.S. market with a small number of electric models for sale. Ford CEO Mark Fields has also asked President Donald Trump to take a more conservative approach to federal fuel economy and emissions guidelines than enacted by the Obama administration shortly before leaving office.
Tesla reported making $1 billion of its total $7 billion in 2016 sales in China. CEO Elon Musk has said it will become its largest global sales market in years ahead.
Volkswagen brand CEO Herbert Diess recently told analysts that its new I.D. electric vehicle concept has the China market in mind. The German automaker will be launching the I.D. crossover concept next week at the Shanghai motor show.
Diess said that China will play the biggest part in VW meeting its aggressive goal of selling one million electric vehicles per year by 2025.
Chinese electric carmaker BYD, backed significantly by Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway, is making a splash in the U.S. through electric buses and trucks serving commercial and government clientele. But China is still No. 1, and BYD remains aggressive about holding its top place in the world’s largest electric vehicle market.