Ford set to produce hybrid electric units for Europe at their Valencia factory

Ford poured in $36 million of investment together with the Spanish government to prep up its Valencia factory to build the hybrid vehicles for their European market.

The Hybrid Electric Vehicle or HEV and the Plug-in Hybrid EV going through the assembly line will be due by 2013. These units are derivatives of the reworked 5-seater 2010 C-Max MPV. The plant in Valencia will also assemble the 7-seater C-Max MPV by 2011 that will be sold in North America.

In a few weeks time, we will be seeing the Ford Fiesta which is designed in Europe but built in Mexico. Before the end of the year, Ford will roll out 2011 Focus that shares platform with the C-Max from the Michigan factory.

The CEO of Ford Europe explained that the new vehicles are part and parcel of their moves to fulfill their promise of delivering to the market alternative powertrains.

The top executive further explained that the 5-seater C-Max the Valencia plant will produce will be marketed exclusively in Europe where there is a high demand for more affordable and efficient vehicles.

Starting 2013, the car manufacturer aims to push to the market five models of BEVs or Battery Electric Vehicles and some more hybrid vehicles in Europe. The C-Max will be joined by the fully electric Transit Connect that will arrive by 2011. A battery-electric Ford Focus is due by 2012.

The one we have on pic is the 5-seater 2010 C-Max MPV.