Ford to launch serial production of Transit electric cars in Russia


In 2022, the production of the Ford Transit electric van will begin in Russia. The first serial production in the country will be launched by Sollers Ford, a joint venture between Ford Motor and the Russian carmaker Sollers. A representative of an automobile company told about this to the Kommersant newspaper.

Vadim Shvetsov, member of the Sollers Board of Directors, noted that the company already sees the demand for electric vehicles from Russians. Electric cars interested potential customers in reducing operating costs: the electric Ford Transit van will be 40% more economical than the diesel version.

Analysts suggest that the bulk of users will be e-commerce and international companies that use trucks for intracity delivery. Thus, according to the company, the number of sales of electric vehicles in Russia will grow by 3.5% by the end of 2025.

It is worth noting that the production of the Ford Transit electric car will be launched with a main diesel platform. However, the use of machines will be limited – within the zones with the highest population density. So, in 2022–2023, the electric car will be sold in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, and closer to 2025 – in Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnodar and Yekaterinburg.

In order to support the distribution of Ford Transit vans, the company proposes to provide them with benefits in these regions: access to the city center without restrictions, free travel on toll sections of the road, and permission to travel on dedicated lanes. In addition, it is necessary to expand the charging stations: they should be located at the parking lots of trucks at the entrances to the city and along the ring roads. Most likely, chargers will also appear in closed parking lots and hypermarket parking lots.

According to the newspaper “Kommersant”, the proposals of the auto concern can be supported by the Ministry of Economy within the framework of the concept of development of electric transport. The company did not announce the exact date of the release of electric cars on Russian roads and the pricing policy.

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