As part of its previously-planned EV shift, Ford is preparing to close the Saarlouis Assembly plant in Germany and end production of the Focus there next year. However, with demand for all-electric vehicles proving to be weaker than expected, the automaker will continue to sell ICE and hybrid vehicles for the foreseeable future, and has also cut production of the Explorer and Capri EV models at the Ford EV plant in Cologne, Germany. That same plant was also the site of choice for a speech by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently, where he addressed the need to subsidize energy costs for EV and battery manufacturers.
“Companies have invested tens of billions in developing these vehicles in order to produce them in Germany and elsewhere. In this respect, it is not a question of taking a step backwards, but of continuing to make the leap forward and providing what support we believe is necessary,” Scholz said during his visit to the the Cologne Electric Vehicle Center, according to MarketWatch.
This visit comes after The Blue Oval announced that it would be eliminating 4,000 positions across Europe – most in Germany and the UK – by the end of 2027 as it continues to deal with significant losses across its passenger vehicle lineup in that region. The automaker also issued a call to action for European officials, requesting a “clear policy agenda to advance e-mobility, such as public investments in charging infrastructure, meaningful incentives to help consumers make the shift to electrified vehicles, improving cost competitiveness for manufacturers, and greater flexibility in meeting CO2 compliance targets.”
As for the Ford EV plant in Cologne, the automaker’s decision to scale back production amid weak demand for the Explorer and Capri EVs was met with skepticism from the union known as IG Metall, which claims that it could signal “an incremental death” for that particular facility. However, Ford says that the move is being made as it “producing more cars than we can sell,” according to a spokesperson.
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