If you can’t beat them, build with them. Ford and China’s Geely have officially announced a joint venture to manufacture electric vehicles at Ford’s plant in Valencia, Spain — a move that signals just how much the global auto industry is being reshaped by Chinese competition.
The partnership, pending regulatory approval, is set to begin operations in the first half of 2027, with the first cars rolling off the line in 2028. Ford will hold a 66% stake; Geely takes the remaining 34%.
Here’s what’s coming off that Spanish assembly line:
- A new electric crossover for Ford
- A new member of the Bronco family (electric, naturally)
- Two electric Geely SUVs
- The Ford Kuga will keep production going in Valencia until the new lineup kicks off
A little history: The Ford-Geely relationship goes back to 2010, when Ford sold Volvo Cars to the Chinese automaker. This new deal takes that partnership somewhere it’s never gone before — joint manufacturing on European soil.
Ford isn’t alone in this playbook. Stellantis has been deepening its tie-up with China’s Leapmotor across Europe, and Volkswagen has floated the idea of sharing underutilised European factories with Chinese brands to cut costs.
The timing is eyebrow-raising: the deal was announced just one day after a US Senate committee approved legislation to tighten restrictions on Chinese automakers entering the American market. Ford’s European strategy and its Washington reality are moving in very different directions.
Looking ahead… For Ford, this is a calculated bet — pair a trusted brand with Chinese scale and cost efficiency to stay competitive in a European EV market that’s getting crowded fast. Whether regulators in Brussels wave it through smoothly will be the first real test.