* The plant in Craiova in southern Romania will become Ford’s third European production facility to build an all-electric vehicle, following recent investments in its plants in Cologne, Germany, and Kocaeli, Turkey https://www.wardsauto.com/ informs. Ford is expanding and modernizing its assembly plant in Craiova, Romania, as it prepares to build a new light-commercial vehicle from 2023, followed by a battery-electric version in 2024. The plant in Craiova in southern Romania will become Ford’s third European production facility to build an all-electric vehicle, following recent investments in its plants in Cologne, Germany, and Kocaeli, Turkey. The new LCV, however, will be equipped with some of Ford’s most advanced internal-combustion engines, including diesels from the automaker’s Dagenham (U.K.) Engine Plant. Transmissions will be sourced from Halewood, U.K. Despite growing consumer demand, EV production in Romania is relatively small and the country’s charging infrastructure is severely underdeveloped compared with other European Union countries. The electric Ford FCV could help expand the market. The expansion at Craiova follows Ford’s investment of almost €2 billion ($2.26 billion) into the plant since acquiring a 72.4% stake in the facility from Daewoo Automobile Romania in 2008. That total includes €200 million ($238 million) invested in production of the Puma compact CUV – Ford’s best-selling vehicle in Romania – introduced in October 2019. Ford also invested €200 million in Craiova for production of the EcoSport CUV launched in October 2017. The EcoSport and Puma account for 53% of the passenger vehicles made by Ford in Romania, where the U.S. automaker employs about 6,000 people. The Craiova factory, which also manufactures 1.0L EcoBoost engines, has more than 600 robots used in the body, stamping, paint, trim and chassis shops. Ford announced last year it was investing $30 million in a new pressing line at Craiova in order to produce a wider range of components.
On October 30, 2025, Envisia will host the 3rd edition of the Future of Boards Gala. The event brings together board members, executives, and governance ecosystem partners for an evening dedicated to recognizing responsible leadership, corporate governance, and high-performing boards. The six award categories celebrate individuals and boards who, through courageous decisions and integrity, create […]
The European real estate debt market is showing clear signs of recovery, supported by stabilized interest rates, competitive lending, and renewed investor confidence. According to AEW’s latest research, the credit financing gap across Europe is narrowing, with improved lending conditions helping to ease refinancing pressures that have weighed on the sector in recent years. Between […]
French retail chain Carrefour may want to sell its stores in Romania and exit the market, according to the French publication L’Informe. Moreover, it would also like to get rid of its operations in Poland and Argentina, according to the same source. So far, Carrefour has reportedly only analyzed a possible exit from the local […]
Romanians are not looking forward to Black Friday with more enthusiasm than last year, according to a recent survey. The main reasons are economic instability and the decline in purchasing power. Around 22% of Romanians say they will not buy anything on Black Friday 2025, and only 15% of Romanians plan to spend more compared […]
Cristina Ghițulică, a faculty member at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies (Politehnica Bucharest), was elected as the first woman president of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, or ENQA. Ghițulică is the director general of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. She was elected to head ENQA […]
The Bucharest National Opera and the Kinetobebe Association announced “The Dance of Velvet Steps,” a premiere performance for the audience with special needs, on Sunday, November 16. The show consists of a ballet performance adapted and made accessible for children and adults with disabilities. The performance is primarily addressed to children and adults with special […]
