Ford’s first Volkswagen-based electric SUV to be revealed in March 2023 – report

The first of two Ford SUVs to be based on Volkswagen's new electric-car platform is expected to be unveiled in March this year, according to overseas reports.

In June 2020, US car-maker Ford announced it would jointly develop a number of vehicles with Volkswagen, which included the use of the German company’s ‘MEB’ electric-car platform for its European battery-powered vehicles.

German publication Automobilwoche reports Ford’s first Volkswagen-based electric SUV will be revealed in March 2023 – four months after it was teased in a post on social media platform Twitter by Martin Sander, the General Manager of Ford’s European ‘Model-e’ department. 

Mr Sander told Automobilwoche the technical tie-up with Volkswagen has reduced the development time of its own electric-car platforms by two years, allowing it to fast-track the introduction of a new dedicated Ford plug-in vehicle.

“The cooperation with Volkswagen is great and works. By using the MEB, we saved at least two years of development time,” Mr Sander told Automobilwoche.

Automobilwoche reports production of Ford’s electric SUV will begin later this year in Cologne, Germany at the factory where the Fiesta has been made since 1979 – although the small hatchback is set to be axed this year.

Ford is also reportedly preparing to convert its factory in Valencia, Spain to produce electric cars later this decade, replacing existing petrol-powered Europe-only models such as the Kuga, Galaxy and S-Max.

Mr Sander told Automobilwoche Ford has not yet decided which electric models will be produced in Valencia, but none of the battery-powered cars will use Volkswagen’s MEB platform.

"We will use a purely electric platform in Valencia. However, it is currently still unclear when this will happen and which models we will build there," Mr Sander said.

Ford has previously set a target for 100 per cent of its European sales to come from electric models by 2030, five years before the European Union bans new petrol and diesel-powered vehicles from being sold.

In Australia, Ford has committed to bringing five electrified models to local showrooms by 2024, which includes all-electric and hybrid vehicles.

As this article was published three of the five electric models have been confirmed – the Ford E-Transit van, Ford Escape plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV and Ford E-Transit Custom van.

It is understood the Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV and a hybrid variant of the Ford Ranger ute will fill the remaining two spots, although this is yet to be confirmed by the car-maker.