New Vehicle Model Assigned to Ford’s Almussafes Factory: Relieving Uncertainty and Securing Future Investments

Ford has announced that the Almussafes (Valencia) factory will produce a passenger vehicle in order to maintain sufficient workload while decisions about the future of electrification are being made. This decision was conveyed by Ford’s global president, Jim Farley, during a meeting with the workers’ representatives and the European Works Council in Dunton (United Kingdom), which was described as positive and constructive.

The Almussafes factory has seen a significant decrease in production over the past six years, going from almost 370,000 cars of five different models in 2018 to just under 212,000 cars last year. This drop of 42% was exacerbated by the loss of production of the Mondeo, S-Max, and Galaxy models. Despite being chosen in 2022 to produce a new electric vehicle platform starting in 2025, the factory has been facing uncertainty regarding investments for the production of electric vehicles.

The global management’s commitment to Almussafes comes at a time when the factory is operating under an extended temporary employment regulation file (ERTE) due to production challenges with the Kuga model. The decision to assign a new vehicle model to the factory guarantees its viability for the coming years, providing relief for both the workforce and the local automotive cluster.

The Valencian automotive industry, represented by AVIA, has welcomed the news of the new vehicle allocation, emphasizing the importance of clear dates and volumes to effectively plan the work of suppliers. Ford’s application for funding under the Strategic Project for the Recovery and Economic Transformation of the Electric and Connected Vehicle (Perte VEC II) further signals a commitment to