The Ford Motor Company is to invest R5.2 billion in its Silverton, Pretoria, assembly plant to produce the first-ever Ranger plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) for the local market and export to Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Ford Motor Company Africa president, Neale Hill, confirmed that production of the PHEV would begin at the end of 2024 and it would be launched into the local market within the next 18 months.
Hill spoke at an event to mark 100 years since the marque entered the South African market.
Operations director for Ford International Markets Group, Andrea Cavallero, said the additional investment in the assembly plant took the company’s total manufacturing investment over the past 14 years to R32bn.
“It signals our commitment to the country, our employees and our extended supplier network,” he said.
The company has 5 200 employees at present.
Cavallero confirmed that the Ranger PHEV, as with the current Ranger models, would be exported to Europe as part of the company’s commitment to offer a wide range of powertrain options for customers.
He added that, for the first time in about two decades, the Silverton plant would be supplying vehicles to Australia and New Zealand as it will be the source market for the plug-in hybrid for these countries.
