Mahindra and Ford announce strategic collaboration

Chennai, 18 September 2017: Mahindra and Ford have announced a strategic alliance to leverage their mutual strengths in the global automotive industry. Teams from both companies will collaborate for a period of up to three years in areas of mobility programs, connected vehicle projects, electrification, product development, sourcing and distribution; both locally and globally. Further plans will be decided at the end of the three year period.

Rise in new technologies and rapid changes in market trends have led both companies to explore new opportunities in the utility market, shared mobility and affordable battery electric vehicles, even as they compete in certain segments.

Mahindra is a leader in the utility vehicles segment in India and has been working on development of clean and affordable technology for a while now. It is the only player with a portfolio of electric vehicles commercially available in India. Globally, it owns a majority stake in Ssangyong Motor Company in Korea, has forayed into the shared mobility space with investments in ride sharing platforms in the USA, and is developing products like the GenZe – the world’s first electric connected scooter.

Ford on the other hand, was among the first global automakers to enter India in 1995. It is one of the largest exporters of cars from the country; manufacturing and exporting vehicles and engines from its facilities in Chennai, Tamil Nadu and Sanand, Gujarat. India is also the second-largest Ford employee base globally, with more than 14,000 people working across the Ford India or Global Business Services operations in New Delhi, Chennai, and Coimbatore.