Ford is signaling that more budget-friendly electric vehicles are on the horizon. A newly announced partnership will see two Ford-branded EVs enter the lineup, though the collaboration is just the beginning.
“We know we’re in a fight for our lives,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said on Monday as he revealed a landmark collaboration with Renault aimed at developing more affordable EVs and countering the rise of Chinese automakers like BYD and SAIC’s MG.
Ford described the partnership as “a first step” in a broader European restructuring. The initial plan includes two new Ford EVs, built on Renault’s Ampere platform.
While these vehicles will share a foundation with the popular Renault 5, Ford will lead the design process to “ensure these vehicles are distinctly Ford.”
The first model is expected to be an all-electric successor to the widely loved Fiesta, and the second is rumored to be a small EV crossover reminiscent of the Renault 4.
Details remain limited, but Ford confirmed the new EVs will start reaching dealerships in 2028. Farley emphasized that these vehicles will be smaller than any currently planned for the U.S., addressing a key gap in Ford’s European lineup.
“As an American company, we see Europe as the frontline in the global transformation of our industry,” Farley said, adding, “how we compete here will write the playbook for the next generation.”
The agreement also covers joint development of Ford and Renault-branded commercial vehicles using shared platforms.
Currently, Ford’s European EV lineup consists of the Electric Explorer and Capri, both built on the same platform as Volkswagen’s ID.4 and ID.5, as well as the Puma Gen-E.
The announcement came just one day after Farley cautioned that the EU’s emissions regulations are “risking the future” of the auto industry.
Ford initially supported the EU’s target for all-electric vehicle sales by 2035, but now cites slower-than-anticipated EV demand and is advocating for more flexible rules.
Farley has repeatedly described Chinese automakers such as BYD as an “existential threat” to the auto sector. As part of its European restructuring, Ford has already revealed plans to cut thousands of jobs and reduce output at its Cologne EV facility.
Ford’s market share in Europe has fallen sharply, from 6.1% of passenger car sales in 2019 to just 3.3% through October 2025.
Despite the slower EV uptake Ford points to, electric vehicle sales are still rising across Europe. Nearly 1.5 million EVs were registered through October 2025, accounting for 16.4% of the market, up from roughly 13.2% over the same period in 2024.
Meanwhile, petrol and diesel vehicles saw their combined share drop to 36.6% from 46.3%. Are EV sales genuinely slowing, or is this a Ford-specific issue? The new Renault partnership to deliver more affordable EVs could prove pivotal for Ford’s European rebound.
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