Virtual Factory Tour

Accelerating EV adoption by demystifying electric vehicle manufacturing

We helped Ford make complex EV technology accessible and engaging, using an immersive narrative experience to build understanding, strengthen trust and position the brand as an innovator in electric mobility.

We worked with Ford to create a narrative-led web experience that takes users inside the electric power unit manufacturing process and encourages them to book a test drive. Combining 3D scans, immersive 360 footage from Ford’s Halewood and Dunton sites, and a custom interface, the experience reveals the technology, expertise and ingenuity behind Ford’s electric vehicles.

For many drivers, the technology inside an electric vehicle can still feel unfamiliar or difficult to understand. Our challenge was to turn a highly technical, large-scale manufacturing process into a clear and compelling story. One that shows not only how Ford’s electric power units are made, but also the people, precision and innovation behind them.

But how do you showcase complex engineering processes in an intuitive, transparent and engaging way? To tell the story of the interplay between humans and robots? Between technology and ingenuity?

Well, we found a way.

We shot high-resolution 360 videos at Ford’s Dunton and Halewood manufacturing sites to show every stage of the production process, with animations and fly-throughs that bring the spaces to life.

We got up close to and inside the robots that make the components, met the experts who design the parts, followed the technicians who assemble the power units, and created an ultra-detailed 3D scan of the finished product. Moving on, we experience the testing that every unit goes through before being fitted to a vehicle and taken around Ford’s own test track.

The design features a futuristic look and head-up display, mirroring the dashboards found in Ford cars. Flowing blue lines represent both Ford’s iconic branding and the future of electrification, while a voiceover guides the user through the entire process, explains what they’re seeing, and highlights embedded videos with lead engineers.

A battery progress bar fills as the user moves through the manufacturing process, encouraging exploration and linking the journey to the real-world experience of storing and using energy. Live text allows users to translate the experience to their chosen language and for Ford to use the asset across multiple countries.

Production involved navigating a complex set of challenges, not least filming at two manufacturing centres that operate 24/7. Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre in Essex is home to the R&D facilities, while Ford Halewood Transmissions on Merseyside manufactures the power units. Safety is paramount, so we worked closely with site supervisors and senior engineers to film at appropriate times and get access inside the production machinery.

About the same size as a car, these machines operate inside cages, with large robot arms that move along predetermined paths in a cycle. To capture the footage we needed, we watched dry runs before the operators opened the cages to let us place the camera. With everything running, we got what we needed and were allowed back in to retrieve our equipment.

Ford gave us incredible access to their sites so we could create something special. We even got to meet Spot, the first robot dog in a Ford factory. Together with his ‘handler’ Joe, Spot is used to check for leaks, temperature changes and detect chemicals in areas that might be unsafe for humans.

“This reflects Ford’s commitment to innovation, transparency and leadership in the electric vehicle space. It demonstrates how digital experiences can complement physical products, offering customers a deeper understanding and a stronger connection before they ever step into a vehicle. Experiences like this play an important role in making advanced technology accessible, understandable and engaging.”

Jay Scott-Nicholls

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