Ford has announced that from January, its historic Cologne, Germany plant – which now makes only EVs – will downscale from two shifts to one due to low European demand for its EVs, resulting in the loss of up to 1,000 jobs, according to a Reuters report. Voluntary redundancy packages will be offered to those affected.
This move is part of a restructuring the carmaker is going through in Europe that will also see its Saarlouis plant close. In November, Ford announced it would reduce its European workforce (mostly in Germany and the UK) by 4,000 by end-2027, to “create a more cost-competitive structure and ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of its business in Europe.”
Ford’s decision to stop making the Fiesta and Focus, and invest US$2 billion (RM8.4 billion) to turn Cologne into an EV manufacturing hub that churns out the Explorer and Capri EVs (both based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform) has yet to pay dividends in the European market.
It’s doing alright in the US, though – Ford sold 2.08 million units there last year, which is 4.2% up year-on-year and its best performance since 2019. Last month, it unveiled its Universal EV Platform, which will first underpin a mid-size double-cab pick-up truck in 2027.
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