Ford has reportedly filed patents for the Territory and Equator in India. The Territory is a mid-size SUV which could rival the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, etc in our market. On the other hand, the Equator is an MPV which could belong to the same segment as the Maruti Ertiga, XL6, Toyota Rumion and Kia Carens. While reports about Ford making a comeback to our market are floating around everywhere, such patent filings provide fuel to that fire.
You may also like: Ford Ranger Spotted at Mahindra Factory – What’s Cooking?
Ford Files Patents for Territory and Equator in India
The American carmaker quit manufacturing cars in India back in 2021. However, fans and Ford car owners were demanding a comeback. I understand their perspective but am also aware of the fact that Ford incurred losses worth $2 billion. That is quite shocking after being operational in our market for 25 years. That is what led the management to pull the plug. However, in the last few months, we have been spotting new Ford products on our roads. These include the likes of the new Endeavour (Everest), Ranger and now the patents of Territory and Equator.
Note that Ford already has a plant in Chennai with a capacity of producing 150,000-200,000 cars and 350,000 engines. Furthermore, Ford has great plans to set up an R&D centre for its electric car technology for which it is hiring employees. Apart from that, there are also news reports of the Mach-E making its way to our shores. With that, Ford aims to capture the premium electric car market too. All these are strong signs that Ford will finally commence its operations in our market once again.
You may also like: Indian Vlogger Tests Fuel Efficiency of Base Ford Endeavour
You may also like: Indian Vlogger Details Ford Ranger Pickup Truck
Author’s Note
I believe Ford could be planning to re-enter India but it would want to make sure to make a strong business case. No company wants to face losses. Hence, it is ensuring that the demand is there and its production ecosystem is set up. Also, it wants to use India as a base to set up exports and develop new EV technology. I find that Ford is doing a thorough and varied job to prevent losses in the future. Still, for official updates, we have to wait a bit longer.
