Ford reportedly eyeing EV production at idle Indian plant
Four years after production ceased at its plant near Chennai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Ford is now working on resuming operations. The Blue Oval is looking at converting the idle factory into an EV manufacturing hub, according to a Fortune India report.
Image: Ford
According to reports, insiders suggest that Ford plans to upgrade the Maraimalai Nagar plant to support EV assembly and production of cells, batteries, electric motors, and other core components. The company could position this facility following a brownfield expansion as an Asia-Pacific production hub for affordable EVs.
The reported developments suggest Ford sees a much larger role for its shuttered plant than its earlier official announcements indicated. However, a company spokesperson said the plans for export-only powertrain manufacturing announced last year remain unchanged. Ford had not revealed the type of powertrain or the intended export markets at the time, and the spokesperson did not disclose them either.
An integrated EV and battery manufacturing hub could entail an investment of 150 to 200 billion rupees (~€1.4 – €1.8 billion ), although these are only industry estimates. Ford has confirmed only a smaller investment of 32.5 billion rupees (~€294 million) under a memorandum of understanding it signed with the government of Tamil Nadu in October 2025.
There’s no word on the type of EVs Ford allegedly plans to build in India. Globally, the company is developing a new Universal Electric Vehicle platform for low-cost EVs, which could be an optimal choice for these India-made models. This platform will debut in the company’s new entry-level electric pickup truck, the Fathom, in early 2027. The company says UEV will support multiple body styles, ranging from a B-segment car up to commercial vehicles.
In line with Ford’s official stance, the report does not state any plans for the brand to re-enter the Indian market. The American automaker announced its plans to cease vehicle manufacturing in India in September 2021, saying it would wind down vehicle assembly at a factory in Sanand in the western state of Gujarat by Q4 2021 and vehicle and engine manufacturing at the plant near Chennai by Q2 2022. The company sold its Sanand plant to Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Limited (TPEML) in 2023 but still owns the facility near Chennai.