Ford has ended speculation about where its first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) Ranger will be built with the announcement of a R5.2bn investment in its Silverton plant as it lays the groundwork for the rollout expected in late 2024.
The motor giant made the announcement on Wednesday at the centenary celebration of its SA operations at an event hosted in Pretoria, where it also revealed it will be bringing the all-electrical Mustang Mach-E to the SA market by 2025.
The Struandale plant joined in the festivities via a live feed and toasted the day with dealer partners and brand enthusiasts who brought out some of the motor manufacturer’s classic vehicles including a 100-year-old Model T.
Ford International Markets Group operations director Andrea Cavallaro said the Ranger PHEV would be exported to Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
“It is the first time in about two decades SA will be exporting vehicles to Australia and New Zealand and we should be super proud of that,” he said.
The Ranger PHEV will combine a 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine with an electric motor and rechargeable battery system allowing it to be driven in electric mode for up to 45km.
He also announced that the company was busy getting both plants off the grid, the first for any of its subsidiaries around the world.
To mark the celebration, the company will also be launching three social investment programmes in SA.
It plans to build 100 maths and science laboratories for primary schools, 100 early childhood development centres and fund 100 youth scholarships for science, technology, engineering and maths.
Chief experience officer Elena Ford said the projects were a reflection of the company’s values and commitment to the communities they operated in.
According to Ford, who is the great-great-granddaughter of company founder Henry Ford, SA is now one of only four countries in the world that have been manufacturing Ford vehicles for more than 100 years.
From producing 10 model Ts a day at its first SA plant opened in Gqeberha back in November 1923, Ford now makes 720 vehicles a day in the country.
In August, the Struandale plant reached the four-million milestone of engines rolled out of its assembly lines.
Straundale plant manager Shawn Govender said they hoped to position themselves as a consolidator of Ford’s combustion engine operations.
“The downside for us is that hybrids only work with petrol engines, not diesel,” Govender said.
The plant makes the 3.0L V6 diesel which powers the Ranger as well as the 2.0L single-turbo and bi-turbo diesel engines.
“As you well know, internal combustion engines are tapering off so we are looking to be a consolidator for Ford globally.
“To consolidate all the internal combustion engines into SA at Struandale and from there build on going forward into both plug-in vehicles and battery electric vehicles.
“So our plan is to be the consolidator and also migrate to petrol engines,” he said.
However, Govender said nothing was concrete yet and those plans would need to be hashed out before any possible approval.
HeraldLIVE
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