In 2022, manufacturing the electric Ford Transit vans will start in Russia. Until now, there has not been any mass production of electric cars. Vadim Shvetsov's Sollers controlling the JV with Ford are counting on the demand from e-commerce in Moscow and megacities. However, deeper localization of such cars is unrealistic without reviewing the current requirements of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, experts believe. Ministry of Economy deals with the development concept of electric transport.
In 2022, Sollers plan to launch the production of electric Ford Transit in Russia, in parallel with the main diesel platform, a company's representative told us. Ford Motor declassified the Transit LCV with an electric powerplant in November 2020, announcing the production to start in 2022. Along with the USA, they announced to produce them based on the Turkish Ford Otosan, focused on Europe.
In Russia, Ford Motor is represented by the Sollers Ford JV controlled by Sollers. Ford Transits are produced at the site in Yelabuga (Tatarstan). As part of their strategy, Ford Motor are gradually phasing out the development of platformes based on internal combustion engines, but they are not planning to stop producing them. Diesels for Transit will also be manufactured in Russia: Sollers Ford purchased a plant in Yelabuga from Ford for this purpose.
Source: Russian newspaper «Kommersant»