An All-Electric Europe by 2030 is “Too Ambitious,” says Ford

Ford has shelved plans to only sell electric vehicles in Europe by the start of the next decade. The Blue Oval is backtracking on a promise it made in 2021 to stop offering combustion cars from 2030, and instead will continue to sell hybrids in its showrooms for as long as buyers want them.

Marin Gjaja, chief operating officer of Ford's Model E electrification division, told Autocar, "We don't see that going all-electric by 2030 is a good choice for our business or, especially, for our customers."

A loss of government incentives for electric vehicles in Europe and uncertainty over exactly when an ICE ban will be implemented have seriously impacted EV sales. "I think customers have voted, and they told us that was too ambitious, is what I would say-and I think everyone in the industry has found that out the hard way… reality has a way of making you adjust your plans." he added.

Instead of 2030 being a hard stop for combustion cars, hybrid vehicles including the Puma, Focus and Kuga will remain in the game beyond their planned sell-by dates.

Meanwhile, Ford will continue to expand its electric line-up adding EV versions of the Puma and Tourneo Courier van in 2025 to the Mustang Mach-E, Explorer and newly-announced Capri.

The U.K. is still likely to throw a spanner in the works, however, as the new Labour government pledged to move its combustion car ban forward from 2035 to 2030, although the legislation was notably absent from Labour's inaugural King's Speech in Parliament. No wonder consumers are confused.