Ford have outlined a timeline for their road to an all-electric range of cars and vans. By mid-2024 there will be an electric or plug-in option across both car and van range before only zero-emission capable sales in 2026 and fully electric by the end of the decade.
Last year, Prime Minister Boris Johnson brought forward the UK’s ban on sales of conventionally-fuelled cars and vans from 2040 to 2030 as part of his “green industrial revolution”. With this Ford stepped up their commitment to the cause one step further and have invested £16m into developing electric technology over the next four years, including an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Cologne, Germany.
Confirming the auto manufacture is going ‘all-in’ on EV’s the new centre in Cologne will undoubtedly spearhead the operation. With a $1 billion investment; the company’s first European-built, volume all-electric passenger vehicle for European customers will roll off the lines in Cologne starting in 2023
“We successfully restructured Ford of Europe and returned to profitability in the fourth quarter of 2020. Now we are charging into an all-electric future in Europe with expressive new vehicles and a world-class connected customer experience,” said Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe. “We expect to continue our strong momentum this year in Europe and remain on track to deliver our goal of a six percent EBIT margin as part of Ford’s plan to turnaround our global automotive operations.”
With 10% of the UK market share it’s believed that Ford is the most popular brand for new cars, alongside the best-selling Ford Transit in the commercial range. So, this announcement comes as no surprise as they try and not only lead the way to an electric future but also maintain their renowned reputation.
There’s even a good chance you have already purchased your last conventionally-fuelled vehicle… as the rest of Europe try and follow in Norway’s footsteps. In the Scandinavian country fully electric vehicles make up about 60% of monthly sales in Norway.
Which asks the question, which other manufacturers are going to be switching on to an all electric fleet? If you're looking to electrify your fleet, speak to the TCH Leasing team about how we can help you with this process.