In light of changing market demands, Ford of Europe has refined its ambitious plan to switch completely to electric vehicles by 2030. Despite the discontinuation of certain models, such as the Fiesta, the company remains dedicated to electrification.
This commitment is evident with the Puma crossover now offered as a mild hybrid and the Kuga (also known as the Escape in various markets) as a plug-in hybrid.
Ford’s electric vehicle lineup is expanding with the all-electric E-Transit and Mustang Mach-E, and the newly launched all-electric Explorer, which has entered mass production at the Cologne Electric Vehicle Center in Germany.
This move is integral to Ford’s ‘Road to Better’ strategy, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality in its European manufacturing sites by 2035.
Ford’s new generation of high-quality electric vehicles for Europe kicks off with the all-electric Explorer, and a sporty CUV is expected to follow by the end of the year. The Explorer, based on Volkswagen’s MEB architecture, offers a range of over 600 km on a single charge.
Kieran Cahill, vice president of Manufacturing at Ford in Europe and International Markets Group, emphasized the importance of transforming the historic Cologne plant, established in 1930, into a modern EV production hub. The start of mass production with the Explorer signifies a new chapter for Ford in Europe.
The Cologne Electric Vehicle Center incorporates state-of-the-art AI technology, over 600 new robots for tasks such as welding, cutting, dusting, painting, and fusing, and a control center that monitors the assembly process in real-time.
