• Halewood begins production of electric drive units for the all-electric Puma Gen-E and E-Transit Custom, the UK’s two top-selling vehicles
• The all-electric Puma Gen-E is unveiled at Halewood, home to its cutting-edge power unit
• Backed by a £380M transformation, the plant will have capacity to produce 420,000 electric drive units annually, powering 70% of Ford’s European EVs

HALEWOOD, UK, Dec. 3, 2024 Ford’s Halewood plant has achieved a significant milestone with the start of production of its new electric drive units. These electric power units, critical to Ford’s electrification strategy, will power the electric versions of the UK’s best-selling vehicles, the Transit Custom and the Puma.

This achievement follows a £380 million investment – including £30.9M of governmental support via the Automotive Transformation Fund - to transform Halewood from a traditional transmissions facility into a state-of-the-art electric vehicle component manufacturing plant.

The Halewood facility now has the capacity to produce 420,000 electric drive units annually that will power Ford’s ambitious electrification goals. Halewood’s production capacity will ensure that 70% of Ford electric vehicles sold in Europe, including models such as the E-Transit Custom, the E-Tourneo Custom and the Puma Gen-E, will be powered by UK-manufactured technology.

Kieran Cahill, Ford’s European Industrial Operations Vice-President, highlighted the people behind Halewood’s success: “Ford is a global American brand with deep roots in Europe, and Halewood has been a cornerstone of that legacy for 60 years. It’s not just the state-of-the-art technology or the £380 million transformation that makes Halewood special—it’s the incredible team here. Their skill, dedication, and pride are what power our electrification journey. With Halewood leading the way as our first in-house EV component manufacturing site in Europe, we’re building a thriving future together, with nine electric vehicles on the road in Europe by 2025.”

The new all-electric Puma Gen-E was unveiled today at the plant by Lisa Brankin, Managing Director and the team from the Halewood plant. The electric version of the UK’s best-selling car will be powered by the electric drive unit built at Halewood and assembled at Ford’s plant in Craiova.

The electric Puma Gen-E reenergises the fun to drive character and evolves the distinctive Puma exterior design that have made the compact crossover a hit with customers across Europe. Thanks to the electric drive units, the Puma driving experience delivers exceptional efficiency of 13.1 kWh/100 km. Puma Gen-E offers up to 376 km on a full charge so that long journeys are well within reach, while up to 523 km of city range means 2 days of charge-free urban trips.

This transformation positions Halewood as Ford’s first in-house electric vehicle component manufacturing plant in Europe, with units set to be distributed across Europe and assembled at Ford Otosan plants in Romania and Turkey. In turn, Halewood and Dagenham will continue to support Ford UK’s annual export value as we manage the electric transition across our car and van line-up.

Ford’s commitment to electric mobility extends beyond technology to its workforce and local community. This investment secures hundreds of jobs at Halewood, with employees upskilled to support Ford’s electric future. Apprentices and engineers have been trained in advanced electric vehicle technologies through £24 million investment in Dunton, Essex. Here, they participated in prototype development and received training on electric drive unit assembly, bringing new expertise to Halewood and driving innovation forward.

“The start of electric drive unit production at Halewood is a proud moment for us,” said Lee Meyers, Halewood Plant Manager. “We’re not only embracing an exciting technological transformation but also contributing to the UK’s electric future while investing in our team and community. This plant, our people, and the region have a bright future as part of Ford’s electrification journey.”

Ford has also prioritized its commitment to the surrounding community. In January this year, Ford Philanthropy, working with their international grant-making partner GlobalGiving, announced a £1 million investment to the end of 2025 to support Halewood and the wider Liverpool city region. They are collaborating with key partners including Torrington Drive Community Association (TDCA), Liverpool Life Sciences UTC and Strawberry Field, and now £160,000 of grant funding will support additional non-profits that are helping to expand access to essential services and education non-profits including Centre 63, Evolving Mindset CIC, Huyton Initiative 4 Youth Activities, Tailored Advice Services in Communities, The First Step Ltd and Vees Place.

The Puma Gen-E joins the Explorer, Capri, Mustang Mach-E and E-Tourneo Courier to complete Ford’s European electric car offering, along with the E-Transit, E-Transit Courier, E-Transit Custom and E-Tourneo Custom commercial vehicles supplied by Ford Pro.