Now the company promises to offer cars with internal combustion engines after 2030
In February 2021, Ford announced plans to sell only electric passenger cars in Europe from 2030. However, the slower-than-expected adoption of electric vehicles is forcing the company to reconsider its original plan. The new strategy does not rule out sales of internal combustion engine cars in the next decade if there is sufficient demand for them.
The head of Ford of Europe, Martin Sander, who says that cars with internal combustion engines can be produced after 2030: “If we see high demand, for example, for plug-in hybrid cars, we will offer them.” Speaking at the Financial Times' Future of Cars summit in London this week, the company's chief executive admitted that demand for electric vehicles was “weaker” than Ford had originally anticipated.
In recent years, Ford has been preparing to release an all-electric line of passenger vehicles. Production of the Mondeo ended on 4 April 2022 at the Valencia plant in Spain. The EcoSport was discontinued in December 2022 at the Craiova plant in Romania. The company also ceased production of the Fiesta on July 7, 2023 at its plant in Cologne, Germany. The S-Max/Galaxy minivan was removed from the production line in April 2023.
Next year the last Focus will roll off the assembly line in Saarlouis, Germany. Martin Sander previously announced that the decision to discontinue Focus production in 2025 is final.
Ford took a huge risk by eliminating some of its most popular models in hopes that electric vehicles would catch on. Demand for electric vehicles is falling, raising concerns about the company's bet. However, some competitors have not discontinued their traditional cars, so people who want to buy gasoline cars still have plenty of choices.
An all-electric version of the Puma subcompact crossover will debut later this year. The Puma Gen-E will be assembled at the company's Craiova plant in Romania. Production of the zero-emission Explorer based on the Volkswagen MEB platform will begin in June at the Cologne plant.