If most in the automobile world knew of the name Magna, little could we have predicted this auto parts company would rise to the challenge of becoming a car manufacturer.
The gist is that never has it been a better time to challenge mainstream car makers with entrepreneurs, small auto shops and businesses related to the automobile rising to the challenge of becoming either car makers or actively involved in it. Case in point, Keonigsegg buying into Saab and rumoring the production of the electric Quant. And finally, Magna International Inc., the international auto parts company that has developed an electric Ford Focus and has acquired stakes into the Opel group.
A Little History. Magna is a car part manufacturer that focuses on engineering services, systems and integrations, and lately complete vehicle production. It is now placing itself as a general contractor, as Pininfarina and Bertone have done over the years. You can read more on Magna’s history here.
Current Projects. Magna is pursuing three projects at this stage, the electric Ford Focus, the Opel involvement and the in-house Mila EV. Ford’s electric Focus involvement with Magna sounds optimisitc with a targeted 5,000 to 10,000 EVs the first years but considering the amount of work Magna has put into the research, it might not be that far stretched.
Why is all of this important? The fundamental shift in the auto industry will shape its future to come. Smaller companies are starting to offer cars, Tesla Motors, Fisker, Aptera and the last time we saw independent manufacturers goes back to the 1960s, and even a few centuries back to the Henry Fords, Tuckers, Oldsmobiles and Studebarkers, in the U.S. alone. Magna is poised for success with a solid infrastructure in car parts and now with a hand on a major car company production. Their technical expertise and knowledge firmly places them in strategic position. Ford’s alliance with Magna puts it at an advantage, at least at the moment against its local rivals. Will Ford have the stamina to compete against them tomorrow? That is another story.
The next few years will be interesting as the automobile landscape continues to shift and adapt.
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[...] liquid cooled pack, according to AutoBlogGreen. What does this mean? It certainly places Magna as a stronger player in the hybrid field who is already working with Ford. It also gives A123 [...]
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