Ford Otosan has invested more than 500 million euros in its Craiova plant over the past two years, while calling for greater predictability and a clear industrial strategy to support Romania’s automotive sector, Firat Elhuseyni, President and Site Director of Ford Otosan Craiova, said on Tuesday.

Speaking at Automotive Forum 2026, organised by Automotive Today and The Diplomat-Bucharest, Elhuseyni said 2026 marked 50 years of car production in Craiova, highlighting Romania’s long-standing role in the European automotive industry.

“This year is a special year for us, for Ford Otosan Romania. It marks 50 years of automotive production in Craiova,” Elhuseyni said, adding that the anniversary reflected the industry’s resilience through decades of geopolitical, political and economic changes.

The executive said the investments made by Ford Otosan in the plant over the past two years had exceeded 500 million euros.

The Craiova facility produces a range of vehicles, from passenger cars to commercial vehicles, including models powered by internal combustion engines and hybrid technology. The plant also began manufacturing its first electric vehicles in Romania over the past two years, he said.

“We are very proud to have started producing electric vehicles in Romania for the first time,” Elhuseyni said.

He also said Ford Motor Company had recently recognised the Craiova facility as its best-performing plant globally.

“This shows the level of performance that Romanians can achieve in the automotive sector, together with all their partners,” he said.

However, Romania’s automotive industry is facing mounting challenges, with domestic car production down 11% compared with the previous year, Elhuseyni said.

“Unfortunately, the automotive sector is not in its best shape at the moment. Car production in Romania has fallen by 11% compared with last year,” he said, warning that downturns in the sector could accelerate once they begin.

Looking ahead, Romania faces several challenges in maintaining its competitiveness as an automotive manufacturing destination, including a lack of predictability and the absence of a clear industrial strategy for the sector, Elhuseyni said.

“We lack predictability and an industrial strategy for the automotive sector, which is essential for Romania,” he said.

High energy prices, infrastructure gaps and labour shortages are also important concerns, although these challenges are not unique to Romania, he added.

Elhuseyni pointed to Spain as an example of good practice, saying its government had developed closer cooperation with the automotive industry to support its growth.

“We are open to actively working together with the Romanian government, offering our support and moving forward together,” he said.

The executive said Romania’s long automotive manufacturing history and the performance achieved by its workforce demonstrated the country’s potential to remain an important player in the European automotive industry.