Ford begins electric motor production at Halewood factory

The Ford plant at Halewood has begun production of electric motors for the manufacturer's Puma Gen-E and E-Transit Custom models. The former transmissions production facility has been converted to produce the eDrive units following a GBP380m investment, including GBP30.9m of governmental support via the Automotive Transformation Fund. Halewood - Ford's first EV component in-house assembly site in Europe - has the capacity to produce 420,000 electric drive units per year.

Puma Gen-E is assembled at Ford Otosan's plant in Craiova, Romania, and will use the 168hp electric motor produced at Halewood with a 43kWh battery, delivering up to 233 miles of WLTP combined range and about 325 miles of urban range. Halewood's production capacity will ensure that 70% of Ford electric vehicles sold in Europe will be powered by UK-manufactured technology. Kieran Cahill, Ford's European industrial operations vice president, said, "Ford is a global American brand with deep roots in Europe, and Halewood has been a cornerstone of that legacy for 60 years.

"It's not just the state-of-the-art technology or the GBP380 million transformation that makes Halewood special - it's the incredible team here. Their skill, dedication, and pride are what power our electrification journey. "With Halewood leading the way as our first in-house EV component manufacturing site in Europe, we're building a thriving future together, with nine electric vehicles on the road in Europe by 2025."

Lee Meyers, Halewood plant manager said, "The start of electric drive unit production at Halewood is a proud moment for us.

"We're not only embracing an exciting technological transformation but also contributing to the UK's electric future while investing in our team and community."