Ford has wobble over 2030 switch to EVs in Europe

Ford of Europe has revealed that it might be prepared to break its pledge to transition to an all-electric passenger car and SUV line-up by 2030 if there’s still strong demand for plug-in hybrids.

In 2021, Ford said that by the end of this decade it would have completely phased out all combustion-powered cars in Europe.

But in an interview with Automotive News Europe, the car-maker’s regional general manager Martin Sander suggested combustion-powered hybrids could live on past the self-imposed 2030 deadline.

“If we see strong demand, for instance for plug-in hybrid vehicles, we will offer them,” he said.

No explicit reason for the change of strategy was given by Sander, but during the interview the senior Ford exec did admit that uptake of EVs in Europe has been “softer” than originally forecasted.

It’s not known if the decision will have radical implications on Ford of Europe’s product plans, which have already forced the car-maker to end production of the Mondeo sedan and wagon (2022), EcoSport SUV (2022), the S-MAX/Galaxy people-mover (2023) and even its former best-selling Ford Fiesta (2023) without a direct replacement.

All are supposedly set to be replaced by EVs.

Even the Ford Focus, which is produced in sedan, wagon and hatchback guise, will be culled in 2025 – with no opportunity to extend its production, or a replacement in sight.

It’s thought the current third-generation Spanish-build Ford Kuga that was launched back in 2019 will now live well beyond the usual seven-year product cycle.

Ford is hoping that demand will pick up as it prepares to launch the battery-electric Ford Puma Gen-E later this year, as well as the Volkswagen MEB-based Ford Explorer that enters production in June at the car-maker’s plant in Cologne, Germany.

Later on, it’s been tipped that a second EV twinned with the Volkswagen ID.4 or ID.5 could be produced, carrying the much-missed ‘Capri’ nameplate.

While Ford might have already pulled the plug prematurely on combustion vehicles, the Volkswagen Group still has lots of non-EVs that remain in its line-up that could have their lives extended, with cars like the current Volkswagen Polo – and the related Skoda Fabia and Seat Ibiza – now all set to live on into the next decade, far longer than originally planned.

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