Romanian PM says Ford should consider electric cars plant in Romania

Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos has invited US car maker Ford to expand its investments in Craiova, suggesting that innovative production facilities could be hosted in the country.

“We want the plant in Craiova to be expanded on the manufacturing targets that are agreed with the Romanian state, in the interest of the American producer and that of the local economy. The Romanian state will provide all the support enshrined in the law for the consolidation of this investment. I think that the opportunities are bigger and I have invited Ford company to think about the development and extension of its production with innovative technologies, in the area of green and electric vehicles, which, as I have seen at the firm’s innovation center, are the cars of the future,” said PM Ciolos, who visited Ford’s advanced research center in Deaborn, near Detroit.

The Romanian PM is on an official visit in the USA, where he will meet with political and business representatives. He has a meeting scheduled with American vice president Joe Biden.

Read why Romania could be an attractive investment destination for electric cars

At present, Ford makes in Romania the B-MAX model and the EcoBoost engine of 1.0. The company has manufactured 47,967 cars in Craiova last year, down from 48,339 in 2013. Ford has been grappling with falling demand for the B-Max.

In addition, the company will start the production of a smaller SUV called EcoSport starting next year. Ford will invest EUR 200 million for the new manufacturing line in Craiova. The company has invested EUR 1 billion in the country up to now.

Costin Borc, the minister of economy, stated last month that the government had started negotiations with companies interested in building electric cars in Romania. At that time, he suggested that Romania could put in place an attractive support scheme that would include fiscal incentives for companies doing heavy R&D activities in the country.

Ovidiu Posirca