autoevolution
 

Ford Teams Up with Mahindra for New Compact SUV and Electric Vehicle

In a bid to create more region-specific vehicles, Ford announced on Friday it has partnered with Indian group Mahindra for the co-development of a compact SUV and an electric vehicle for India and emerging markets.
Ford and Mahindra sign new partnership agreements 1 photo
Photo: Ford
The SUV to be built by the two will be based on a Mahindra platform and will be meant for the midsize sports utility vehicle (C-SUV) segment. The resulting car will be branded both as a Ford and as a Mahindra and sold independently.

There is no information made available about the electric vehicle to be jointly developed. Ford did say however that together with the Indians they will also work on developing new suite of connected car solutions.

As per the agreement, Mahindra will be granted access to global emerging markets through Ford’s manufacturing and distribution network, and in return, the Indians will facilitate the American carmaker’s plans for a more solid presence in India.

“Ford is committed to offering the best vehicles, technologies, and services that fit the lifestyles and preferences of Indian consumers,” said Jim Farley, Ford president of global markets.

“Listening to our customers and incorporating their future needs is the core premise of this collaboration. With utility vehicles and electrification as key focus areas, we are glad to see the progress our two companies have made.”

To make plans inked this week a reality, teams from both companies will work together for a period of up to three years, trying to find some other ways the two can explore together.

Ford sees India as one of its powerful future markets, after failing to make a lasting impression in neighboring China.

On the world’s largest automotive market, Ford has two ongoing partnerships, one with Changan Automobile Group and another Jiangling Motors Group, but their performance on the local market is declining.

According to NDTV, the American carmaker’s sales dropped by 6 percent last year, while for the first two months of 2018 the drop is much steeper, 23 percent.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Daniel Patrascu
Daniel Patrascu profile photo

Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories