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Advising Volkswagen AG on a landmark electric vehicle alliance with Ford Motor Company.
Access the PDFAutomotive platform partnership case study: Driving the future of electric mobility with Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Company
Automotive platform partnership case study: Driving the future of electric mobility with Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Company
Another client success story, supported by Addleshaw Goddard.
We advised Volkswagen AG on its agreement with Ford Motor Company to supply electric vehicle platforms, as part of a wider global alliance between the two automotive giants. This collaboration sees Ford become the first automaker to utilise Volkswagen’s Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) platform, enabling the production of over 600,000 zero-emission vehicles in Europe starting in 2023. This strategic partnership underscores the importance of innovation and collaboration in addressing the challenges of the evolving automotive industry. We’ve helped to shape a strategic alliance that will see both brands work hand-in-hand to develop vehicles and share investments in innovation and technology, including new electric cars.
A few fast facts
What happened
It’s a collaboration that’s grabbed the headlines. But behind the handshakes is a hugely complex transaction spanning every step in the supply chain. To forge this alliance, we had to get to grips with the intricacies of build and distribution. And we had to think through every eventuality – the logistical challenges, the legal and commercial risks, the details of IP, supply chain disruption, disputes and (if the worst happened) termination.
After months of detailed preparation, the first agreements were successfully signed, marking a significant milestone in this groundbreaking collaboration.
The outcome
The alliance between Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Company marks a significant step in the evolution of the electric vehicle market. Under the agreement, Ford will produce over 600,000 vehicles in Europe using Volkswagen’s Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) platform over six years, starting in 2023. Volkswagen’s MEB platform, which has been developed with a $7 billion investment, is also projected to support the production of approximately 15 million cars for Volkswagen Group over the next decade.
This collaboration allows both companies to achieve efficiencies and share investments in innovation and technology, including the development of new electric vehicles, without involing cross-ownership.
This strategic alliance demonstrates the power of collaboration in addressing the challenges of the automotive industry. We are proud to have supported Volkswagen AG on this landmark transaction.
Key contact
Andrew Carter
Partner, Commercial
London, UK