Ford Opens Electric Vehicle Center in Cologne, Plans to Produce 250,000 Electric Cars Annually
Ford has recently inaugurated its ‘Electric Vehicle Center’ in Cologne, Germany, following a substantial investment of two billion US dollars to convert the existing Ford plant in Cologne-Niehl into a production facility for electric cars. The Electric Vehicle Center is expected to have an annual production capacity of 250,000 electric cars in the future.
The American automaker will commence production of the all-electric Ford Explorer at the Cologne facility later this year. Additionally, starting from 2024, Ford will introduce a second electric model based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform. Under the terms of their agreement, Ford and Volkswagen have set a target of manufacturing 1.2 million MEB-based vehicles over a period of six years, averaging around 200,000 units annually, which is slightly below the indicated maximum production capacity.
The Cologne-Niehl factory site, covering 125 hectares, holds significant historical importance for Ford. After the conversion, it will be recognized as “Ford’s first carbon-neutral assembly plant to open globally,” with the company emphasizing the environmental aspects of the transformed facility in its press release. Notably, the site features a new production line, battery assembly capabilities, and state-of-the-art tools and automation systems. Ford highlights the plant’s modernity by mentioning the presence of self-learning machines, autonomous transport systems, big data management, and augmented reality solutions.
In a summer 2022 interim report on the conversion progress, Ford outlined detailed plans for the facility. Two new production halls were constructed, while existing facilities were adapted for the new requirements. The innovations include a completely revamped final assembly line specifically designed for the MEB model. Compared to the Fiesta, which is currently produced at the Cologne plant, the MEB model’s final assembly process is more complex due to the battery assembly, with robots now having to handle 53 screws instead of just six.
Ford acknowledged one of the major challenges during the transformation to an Electrification Center was the parallel production of the electric Explorer and the Fiesta. To accommodate the MEB assembly line, a Fiesta production line in the Y-hall was entirely dismantled to create space for the new facilities. Furthermore, the overhead transport system was reinforced to account for the electric SUV model’s higher weight compared to the previously manufactured Fiesta. The team also installed a new automated tire assembly system and introduced new headlight adjustment test benches. The final inspection line, known as the i.O. line (short for “in order”), where Ford employees carry out the final inspection of vehicles, was also revamped.
In the future, bodies will undergo the painting process in the same hall before proceeding to the final assembly line. Ford has also made various optimizations to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the painting process. Adjacent to the Y-hall, a new building measuring 25 meters in height, 24 meters in width, and 106 meters in length has been constructed. This building will serve as the pre-treatment facility for the bodyshells of the electric vehicle model before they enter the paint shop. Positioned diagonally behind it, with a floor area of 25,000 square meters, is the second new hall dedicated to manufacturing the body shells of the Ford Explorer.
The electric Explorer was unveiled by Ford in March. This mid-size electric SUV not only shares no resemblance to its namesake internal combustion engine variant in Ford’s US lineup but also differs significantly from the rest of the company’s European range. This distinction is due to the vehicle being the first outcome of Ford’s collaboration with Volkswagen, which grants Ford access to Volkswagen’s MEB modular system introduced in 2020.
