Ford has confirmed that European market models of the next-generation Transit Custom, including all-electric and hybrid variants, will be built in Turkey from 2023.
All versions of the next-generation Transit Custom will be built by Ford Otosan, the company’s joint venture in Kocaeli, Turkey. The next-generation 1-tonne commercial vehicle from Volkswagen will also be built at the same factory as part of the Ford-Volkswagen Alliance.
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2021 Ford Transit Custom Trail
“The next generation Transit Custom range – including the all-electric versions – will strengthen Ford’s position as Europe’s No.1 commercial vehicle brand,” Ford of Europe president Stuart Rowley said. “Transit Custom is the jewel in our commercial vehicle crown and key in our drive to grow our commercial vehicle business as we continue to create a sustainable, profitable Ford business in Europe rooted in an electrified future.”
While Ford says all of its commercial vehicles will be all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2024, it acknowledges that not all commercial vehicle operators are ready to make the switch. As such, mild-hybrid versions of the new Transit Custom will also be offered in the interim.
“Today, we are starting another strategic investment that will help shape the future of the automotive industry,” Ford Otosan chairman and vice chairman of the Koç Holding Board of Directors, Ali Koç commented. “Our Kocaeli plants will be transformed into Turkey’s first and only integrated production center for the assembly of electric vehicles and batteries. We consider this investment, which will span over a decade, as a forward-looking strategic move. I would like to thank Ford Motor Company for their trust in Turkey and Ford Otosan which made this significant investment possible.”
2021 Ford Transit Custom