Ford considers China JV for fully electric cars

Ford is in talks to launch fully electric cars for the Chinese market as the US carmaker plays catch-up to international rivals in the race to develop battery vehicles. The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Anhui Zotye Automobile, a major manufacturer of zero-emission all-electric vehicles in China, to discuss forming a joint venture to develop and sell electric cars in the market, the Financial Times reports. The cars will be under a completely new brand indigenous to the market. China is the world’s largest market for electric cars, driven by the government incentives designed to help rid the country of its air pollution problem. The number of fully electric cars – which do not have a petrol or diesel engine – sold in China is expected to reach 4m by 2025. Although it is already working on the technology, Ford is later than key US rival General Motors, which sells the Chevrolet Bolt, to the electric car race.