Ford to Phase Out Gas Cars in Europe by 2030

Ford is following General Motors, VW, Jaguar/Land Rover, and of course Tesla by going primarily EV very soon.

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The announcement is the latest evidence of the industry’s rapid shift away from traditional engines


WSJ

BERLIN— Ford Motor Co. F -0.61% said it would invest $1 billion in a German factory as part of a plan to phase out gas-powered cars in Europe by 2030, the latest auto maker to embrace a shift to electric vehicles.

Ford said Wednesday that it will convert its plant in Cologne to produce electrics, including the company’s first European-built all-electric passenger car in 2023. By 2030, electric vehicles should account for all its passenger-car sales in Europe, along with two-thirds of its commercial vans and trucks, the company said.

Most of the car industry’s well-known brands have dramatically increased investment into electric vehicles as the broader automotive industry begins in earnest to phase out traditional engines and shift almost entirely to electric vehicles and hybrids over the next decade.

“Our announcement today to transform our Cologne facility... 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,” Stuart Rowley, president of Ford’s European business, said.

General Motors Corp. said last month that it would phase out production of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, echoing similar plans by Volkswagen AG , Europe’s biggest automotive producer.

Jaguar Land Rover said Monday that its iconic Jaguar luxury brand would be fully electric by 2025 and it would launch electric versions of its entire model lineup by 2030, as new Chief Executive Thierry Bollore, former head of Renault, moves quickly to transform JLR into a maker of luxury electric vehicles.

Ford also said it had returned to profit in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2020 and was on track to achieve a targeted 6% pretax profit margin.

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So that makes Jaguar/Land Rover, General Motors, and VW committed to fully EV worldwide within 10-15 years. Ford is following by going fully EV in Europe within 10 years.

For those of you that are too dense to notice. The current family of internal combustion engines from our major automakers is probably the last ones they'll develop. Gasoline engines will lose their cost advantage over electric with the severe decline in production within 10 years or so. If not, you know that the remaining gas and diesels will be so choked with emissions restrictions that they won't be worth owning.

The writing is on the wall for gas vehicles. If you want to stick with gas, you better pick up a very reliable model in about 10 years and hope that it lasts and that fuel supplies remain widely available as people switch to EV's.