Jiangling Motors Corp., Ford
Motor Co.’s truck partnership, is experiencing a spike in orders for
ambulances based on the Ford Transit van as a result of the coronavirus
outbreak.
On February 1, the joint venture obtained orders for more
than 1,900 ambulances adapted from the van, up from
some 1,300 orders as of Jan.27 according to Ford Motor Co.
and Jiangling Motors.
To help the central China city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the
outbreak, Jiangling Motors on February 1 shipped two of 10 Transit vans it
will donate to hospitals in Wuhan.
Maxxis provided tires for those ambulances.
Ford builds the Transit, as well as the Everest SUV, the Tourneo
multipurpose vehicle and the Territory crossover, at Jiangling Motors.
The U.S. company also assembles sedans and crossovers at its car joint
venture with Changan Automobile Co.
Two state-owned Chinese automakers,
Shanghai-headquartered SAIC Motor Corp. and Beijing-based Beiqi Foton
Motor Co., said last week that they have received orders for van-based
ambulances from local governments.
