The Escape was quietly discontinued by Ford Philippines in 2016. Since its “escape” from the local market, the Ford Escape has yet to make its return in the Philippines. Now, the Ford Escape, or the Kuga in Europe, is about to have a successor.
As previously reported, Ford and Geely teamed up to form a new joint venture (JV) in Europe, where the two automakers will produce next-generation multi-energy and electric vehicles at Ford’s manufacturing plant in Valencia, Spain. Under the proposed ownership structure, Ford will own 66 percent of the new entity while Geely Auto will own the remaining 34 percent.
The JV is expected to begin operations in the first half of 2027, with the first new vehicles scheduled to roll off the line in 2028. Ford has already announced that it will be introducing a new member of the Bronco family, as well as an all-new crossover in 2028 that features multi-energy options, which could mean that it will offer different powertrain options that could include hybrid and electric powertrains.
Now, the all-new crossover could reportedly be the successor to the Kuga (aka Escape), German publication Auto Motor Und Sport reports. The all-new Ford crossover SUV will reportedly be based on the latest iteration of Geely Auto’s Global Intelligent New Energy Architecture (GEA), which is the platform integrated into Geely models such as the Geely EX5. The all-new Ford crossover will be manufactured in Valencia, where the Blue Oval brand already produces the current Kuga.
Geely, on the other hand, will produce two new electric SUVs at the Valencia facility in full support of their European focus and growth strategy. The first Geely-branded models to be manufactured under this joint venture are scheduled to roll off the production line in 2028.
The JV will transform Ford’s Valencia facility, where Ford and Geely plan to maximize the factory, which has the capacity to build up to 500,000 vehicles annually. It will transform the Valencia facility into a shared, high-tech manufacturing hub built to compete at the industry’s new global cost standard.
Autocar’s Take
Ford is expected to introduce an all-new crossover SUV as part of its joint venture with Geely. It is said to feature multi-energy options, which could mean that it will offer different powertrain options that could include hybrid and electric powertrains. The significance of this joint venture is that we can expect that future Ford models that will roll off its Valencia plant will have a touch of Geely. Ford can gain Geely’s expertise when it comes to its hybrid technology. On the other hand, Geely’s partnership with Ford will enable the Chinese car brand to penetrate the European market further. Overall, the joint venture is expected to cut down manufacturing costs, allowing Ford and Geely to stay competitive in the tightly contested European market.
