2 min read - 5 Aug, 2025
Ford secures £1bn government-backed export guarantee
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is providing a £1bn export development guarantee to Ford UK, aimed at supporting the company’s global transition to electric vehicle production.
Ford operates several key sites across the country, which employ around 5,500 people, including the UK’s largest automotive research and development centre based in Dunton, Essex.
The £1bn loan, provided by Citi and a syndicate of lenders, will be 80% guaranteed (£800m) by UK Export Finance. This new UKEF facility will play an important role in helping Ford expand its UK exporting footprint and continue its global transformation in engineering and manufacturing smart, connected and electrified vehicles for customers around the world.
In recent years, the company has invested heavily in electric vehicle development, including a £380m transformation of its Halewood manufacturing plant, to switch from producing transmissions to electric motors for vehicles, including the Ford Transit van and Ford Puma. Ford has also invested £70m in state-of-the-art testing and development labs at its R&D site in Essex.
Ford operates the UK’s largest automotive research and development centre in Dunton, Essex / Picture: Ford of Britain
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Lisa Brankin, chair, Ford of Britain, said: “Recent investments in the UK have proved crucial to our European operations and have expanded our UK export capability, on top of supporting Ford’s investment in an all-electric product line for Europe. This new UKEF facility will play an important role in supporting our UK exporting footprint, especially amid the continued uncertainty in the trade landscape and the disconnect between electric vehicle targets and customer demand.”
This is the third EDG (Export Development Guarantee) awarded by UKEF to Ford, taking total financing to almost £2.4bn (£1.9bn guaranteed by UKEF) since 2020:
• June 2022: £750m UKEF EDG (UKEF guarantee of £600m) supported phase two of Ford’s electric vehicle plans. The investment significantly expanded Ford’s electric power unit production line capability.
• June 2020: £625m UKEF EDG facility (UKEF guarantee on £500m). This helped to finance Ford’s global vehicle research and development headquarters in Dunton in Essex, securing key jobs and supporting the development of electric vehicle technologies.
Jonathan Reynolds, business and trade secretary, added: “We’re proud of our historic auto sector, and the commitment that global companies like Ford have made to make cars and create jobs in the UK. I’m delighted that UKEF is backing Ford in supporting the company’s ambitions for growth.
“This government has taken significant action to back auto firms – including by securing landmark trade deals with the US and India to bring down tariffs for British car manufacturers and create new export opportunities, measures to lower electricity prices in our Industrial Strategy, and updating the ZEV mandate to support UK manufacturers and safeguard jobs of the future.”
