Ford India Drops EV Plans, Workers Shocked
CHENNAI, (IANS) – Ford Motor has shelved plans to make electric vehicles in its two plants in India – Chennai, and Sanand in Gujarat. It said it was exploring options for its two factories in the country that stopped production last year.
The U.S. car maker gave no reasons for its decision. In February it had got approval from India for a $3.5-billion production-linked incentive scheme to make clean-fuel vehicles.
Ford’s “quit India” decision will result in an uncertain future for about 5,300 employees – workers and staff. Ford said it was in talks with Unions and other parties.
The Chennai plant has about 2,700 permanent workers and about 600 staff.
Ford India had said there were more than 500 employees at the Sanand engine plant.
Ford has struggled in the Indian market but with India offering billions of dollars in incentives to build EVs and their parts in the country, the company had planned on building the vehicles for export.