Ford’s European Director Of Design, Amko Leenarts, has announced that the brand’s MEB-based crossover will be unveiled on March 21. The electric crossover is the first of two vehicles Ford has planned with VW.
However, Ford insists its latest EV will have its own distinctive American design and will not resemble VW Group MEB crossovers like the ID.4 and Škoda Enyaq. The currently unnamed crossover will be assembled in Cologne, Germany and is expected to sit below the Mach-E in Ford’s electric lineup.
In terms of specs, expect Ford’s crossover to have similar figures to the ID.4 given both cars are effectively the same underneath. The ID.4 has a WLTP range of up to 328 miles and is available in both RWD and AWD guise.
It will be interesting to see if Ford offers a performance version, similar to the ID.4/ID.5 GTX. The ID.4 GTX has a dual-motor layout and 300 hp output. It can also sprint from 0-62 mph in 6.2 seconds. Although that figure may not seem quick when compared with the Tesla Model Y Performance and Kia EV6 GT, it’s still pretty fast for a family crossover.
Ford has invested over $1 billion into its Cologne facility to prepare it for the EV age. Currently only the Fiesta hatchback is built there, however that will be phased out in 2025. From then onwards, the German plant will exclusively produce EVs.
It’s unknown if Ford will sell its MEB-based crossover in the US, with rumors suggesting it could be a Euro-only model. After all, the one vehicle currently built at Cologne is not sold Stateside.
