Ford in discussions to make EVs in way back to India, says TRB Rajaa: Report

Ford Motor Co. is deliberating plans to make EVs at its plant in Tamil Nadu, as it looks to re-enter India, three years after it announced closing its local factories in the country, Bloomberg reported. 

Ford is yet to take a call on what it will manufacture in India, TRB Rajaa, the Tamil Nadu Industries Minister said to Bloomberg TV. He insinuated, however, that it electric vehicles could be produced, the newswire reported. 

He added that if 'one were to go by trend', investors that have come to the state in the past few years, have brought their EV lines.

Ford is the latest to join both domestic and foreign car makers, from Tata Motors to VinFast, who are establishing manufacturing plants in the state. 

Ford announced plans to use its plant in Chennai for exports in mid-September, upon sending a Letter of Intent to the Tamil Nadu state government. 

Earlier in the year, the central government reduced import taxes for foreign carmakers who promise to invest USD 500 million in the country, the newswire noted. Tamil Nadu has been at the forefront of being a manufacturing destination for electric vehicles in the country, the newswire reported. 

Ford at present employs 12,000 people in global business operations in Tamil Nadu, and is slated to add roughly 3000 jobs in the next three years, the newswire said attributing it to a company statement.