NEWS

Ford Sollers summed up the results of Phase Three of the social project aimed at introducing the Mechatronics dual study programme in educational institutions. As part of the final events, the Proactive Vocational Training Centre in Kazan hosted the presentation of advanced training certificates to project participants and a certificate for the purchase of mechatronic equipment for the Zelenodolsk Mechanical College and the Kazan Aviation Technology College.

The project has been implemented in Tatarstan since December 2017. Phase Three launched in this October was devoted to a practice-oriented approach in the vocational education system and mentoring at enterprises. After the trainings, representatives of vocational education organisations, jointly with their partners, developed on-the-job training programmes for their further implementation at enterprises.

The developed programmes were defended at the Proactive Vocational Training Centre on December 26, 2019. In total, project participants submitted 6 projects. The programmes were appraised by representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Tatarstan, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan, the Proactive Vocational Training Centre, and technical experts of Ford Sollers.

Based on materials by Ford Sollers press service

Ford Sollers Yelabuga has provided the large Ozon online store with Ford Transit vehicles. In total, by the end of November of this year, the company will receive 743 branded LCVs.

Ozon’s sales in Tatarstan in 2019 are growing by more than 110%, the number of orders throughout Russia is doubled; now the company handles more than 150,000 orders a day. Such growth naturally requires the expansion of its delivery infrastructure, including more vehicles to work in the last mile. The LCVs will work in Tatarstan and in other million-plus cities, as well as in Moscow.

The choice in favour of Ford Transit was dictated by the high reliability of these vehicles, the low cost of their service, the availability of a developed dealer network, and the high resale value of the LCVs.

For delivery of orders, all-metal front-wheel drive Ford Transit vans were selected with a medium wheelbase and a medium-height roof. The vehicles are equipped with a built-in radio with Bluetooth, which allows the driver to avoid being distracted by a mobile phone.

Based on information by Ford Sollers press service

Ford Sollers Yelabuga is one of the first Russian automakers to fully switchover to electronic vehicle registration certificates. The joint venture of Sollers and Ford Motor Company is starting to issue EVRCs for all Ford Transit vehicles ahead of schedule, from October 1, 2019.

A pilot batch of updated LCVs with electronic passports has already been sent to dealers for sale. Ford Transits were delivered to Rolf dealerships in Moscow and St. Petersburg, while in the future they will be available for sale in Transit centres in the Russian Federation.

Earlier, Ford Sollers Yelabuga was included in the number of participants in the pilot EVRC issue project, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation jointly with AO Electronic Passport. At the same time, the final transition of the EAEU countries to a unified EVRC system should be carried out starting from November 1, 2019.

The introduction of electronic vehicle registration certificates would allow digitising and automating most of the processes related to the life cycle and registration of vehicles, and would speed up receiving required data on vehicle condition. The EVRC system would also make transparent the history of the vehicle’s technical condition from the moment of its production to its disposal.

Based on information by Ford Sollers press service

The joint venture between PAO Sollers and Ford Motor Company, Ford Sollers Yelabuga, announces the start of the updated Ford Transit production at the company’s plant in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone. The first vehicles have been rolled off the assembly line and shipped to customers in official Transit centres.

The updated Ford Transit retained all its benefits and now enjoys updated seats, a new colour palette of exterior and interior. The supporting body structure and door locks were also upgraded, which resulted in additional strengthening of the body.

Ford Transit is the Russia’s market leader in the segment of commercial vehicles among foreign brands. Model sales in January to August increased by 7% compared to the same period last year, amounting to 7,267 vehicles. In total, 1,237 vehicles were sold in August. Ford Transit has been produced at the Yelabuga plant since April 2015 using full cycle technology, including welding and painting.

The company also continues to work on the development of vertical localisation which suggests the organisation of the entire production chain in Russia, from the extraction of raw materials to the production of finished components. This year, the supply of Ford Transit bumpers made of Tathimplast materials were launched. Dashboards and door panels for Ford Transit are also made from local raw materials.

Based on information by Ford Sollers press service

Ford Sollers will supply 170 A-class minibuses and B-class tourist buses to the Bashkortostan Committee for Transport and Roads for further use on intercity and suburban routes. Ford Transit vehicles were selected as part of a competitive procurement process and comply with all applicable requirements.

The ceremony of handing over the first batch of 110 Ford Transit vehicles to Bashavtotrans with the participation of the Acting Head of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov took place on August 9 in Ufa.

Ford Transit vehicles, which will be operated in the Republic of Bashkortostan, are equipped with anti-lock brakes, an electronic stability control system, an assist system for starting uphill, an emergency brake assist system, a driver airbag, 8-way driver’s seat adjustment, air conditioning, and a passenger compartment heater creating a comfortable temperature for passengers even in harsh winters.

Ford Transit production was launched at the Ford Sollers factory in Yelabuga using full-cycle technology to offer a state-of-the-art product adapted to be operated in Russian conditions at a competitive price. The range of basic versions includes all-metal vans, bus, and chassis; vehicles are available for order with 3 options for base length, 2 options for roof height, and all types of drives, including all-wheel drive.

Based on information by Ford Sollers Press Service

To further advance its goal of launching a self-driving vehicle business, Ford has acquired the small robotics company Quantum Signal. The company’s specialty has been building remote control software for robotic vehicles and testing and developing environment for autonomous and remotely controlled robotic systems.

Since its founding in 1999, Quantum Signal located in Saline, Michigan has worked on the cutting edge of mobile robotics for numerous clients, including the military.  So, Quantum Signal helped the military to develop software that allowed it to remotely control robotic vehicles from thousands of miles away. Quantum Signal’s experience will be able to support Ford in numerous areas as the company develops self-driving vehicles and transportation as a service business, including software development and hardware prototyping.

Ford is keen to accelerate autonomous vehicle development. That is why in past few years, Ford has been assembling a team of uniquely qualified experts in software development, simulation and machine learning from all around the world.

Quantum Signal will play a crucial role in advancing Ford’s self-driving vehicle development while also representing the company’s commitment to nurturing the talent needed to successfully deploy this technology.

Based on information by Ford Sollers press service

The renewed Ford Sollers joint venture officially launched its operations today. In the new company’s structure, the shareholders of Ford Motor Company and PAO Sollers remain partners, while Sollers is the managing shareholder with a 51% share in the authorised capital.

Ford Sollers will continue to strengthen its positions in the LCV segment with the Ford Transit model and a wide range of special and social modifications based on it.

Production of Ford Transit continues at the Ford Sollers plant in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (Yelabuga, Tatarstan) using full-cycle technology, including welding and painting. The joint venture is planning to increase its output, which would allow Ford Transit to both maintain its leading positions among foreign brands in the Russian market, and increase its market share in the segment.

At the moment, the company is preparing for the production of an updated version of Ford Transit. At the same time, work is underway on expanding the range of specialised versions, which already comprises more than 55 modifications from school buses to ambulances and mobile stalls.

Another priority project of the Ford Sollers is the further development of vertical localisation, which provides for the organisation in Russia of the entire production chain from the extraction of raw materials to the production of finished components.

OOO Ford Sollers Yelabuga, based on which the updated Ford Sollers joint venture in Russia is being created, has signed a special investment contract (SPIC) with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation to develop the production of the Ford Transit line in Russia.

The SPIC signing ceremony was held within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 7, 2019. The ceremony was attended by Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Denis Manturov, Chairman of Ford of Europe at Ford Motor Company Steven Armstrong, and Director General of Sollers Vadim Shvetsov.

The SPIC, signed by Ford Sollers Yelabuga in a consortium with the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, provides for significant investment in future production and localisation of the Ford Transit line in Russia and will allow the company to retain all key government support measures for the project for the long term until 2028.

In March 2019, shareholders of the JV Ford Sollers – Ford Motor Company and Sollers – announced a restructuring of the joint venture, whose activities in the future will focus on the segment of light commercial vehicles. In the new Ford Sollers structure, shareholders of the Ford Motor Company and Sollers remain partners, while Sollers will hold a 51% share in the JV’s authorised capital.