Ford and Jaguar Land Rover commit to only electric cars by 2030

Ford says by mid-2026, 100% of its passenger vehicle range in Europe will be zero-emissions capable, all-electric or plug-in hybrid, and will be completely all-electric by 2030.

Ford’s entire commercial vehicle range will be zero-emissions capable, all-electric or plug-in hybrid, by 2024, with two-thirds of Ford’s commercial vehicle sales expected to be all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2030.

Similarly, JLR announced earlier this week it is committed to keeping all three of its UK plants open in the drive for all its models to be fully electric by 2030.

Annual commitments of around £2.5 billion will include investments in electrification technologies and the development of connected services to enhance the journey and experiences of customers, alongside data-centric technologies that will further improve their ownership ecosystem.

Ford’s UK engine manufacturing plant in Dagenham makes diesel engines for the Transit and Ranger, and the plant has “a very important road ahead of it,” Stuart Rowley, president of Ford of Europe told the FT. All of Ford’s engine sites across Europe will be “part of the transition” to electric, he added.

Central to Ford’s transformation of its operations in Europe over the past two years were a $1 billion improvement in structural costs, addressing underperforming markets, the creation of a more targeted vehicle line up within three customer-focused business groups, and partnerships to drive growth and improved levels of profitability across the business.

Spearheading Ford’s advance into an all-electric future is a new $1 billion investment to modernize its vehicle assembly facility in Cologne, Germany, one of its largest manufacturing centres in Europe and the home of Ford of Europe.

The investment will transform the existing vehicle assembly operations into the Ford Cologne Electrification Center for the manufacture of electric vehicles, Ford’s first such facility in Europe.

Ford also confirmed that its first European-built, volume all-electric passenger vehicle for European customers will be produced at the facility from 2023, with the potential for a second all-electric vehicle built there under consideration.

“Our announcement today to transform our Cologne facility, the home of our operations in Germany for 90 years, is one of the most significant Ford has made in over a generation. It underlines our commitment to Europe and a modern future with electric vehicles at the heart of our strategy for growth,” Mr Rowley said.

British prime minister, Boris Johnson, confirmed last year sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans would be phased out by 2030.

Ford www.ford.com

Jaguar Land Rover www.jaguarlandrover.com