Ford joins Stellantis in asking for post-Brexit trade rules to be extended

Ford called for post-Brexit EU trade requirements on rules of origin for electric vehicles to be delayed until 2027 from 2024, saying tariffs will add pointless costs for consumers and slow the transition to electric.

“Ford is calling for current trade requirements to be extended to 2027, to allow time for the battery supply chain to develop in Europe and to meet EV demand,” the U.S. carmaker said in a statement.

“Tariffs will hit both U.K.- and EU-based manufacturers, so it is vital that the U.K. and EU come to the table to agree a solution,” the company said.

Ford is investing 380 million pounds ($480 million) to build e-motor capacity at an engine plant in Halewood near Liverpool, England, part of electrification plans across Europe.

Ford’s statement comes after Vauxhall owner Stellantis, which has two plants in the UK, warned that British car factories will close with the loss of thousands of jobs unless the Brexit deal is swiftly renegotiated.

Under the trade deal agreed when Britain left the bloc, 45 percent of the value of an EV being sold in the European Union must come from Britain or the EU from 2024 to avoid tariffs.

#electricvehicles #europeanunion #batteries #supplychain #brexit #manufacturing #automotiverecruitment   Source: https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/ford-fears-tariffs-ev-parts-exports-uk-europe