Ford Vehicles To Go All-Electric Or Plug-In Hybrid By Mid-2026; Fully Electric By 2030

Ford has revealed that it plans to have its vehicles to go all-electric or plug-in hybrid by mid-2026, and ensured that its entire line-up to be fully electric by 2030. The move is aimed to be in line with Europe’s new zero-emissions regulations, which saw fellow carmakers Volvo, Volkswagen, Mercedes and most recently Jaguar also vowing to go carbon-free within the decade.

According to its press release, the company will invest US$1 billion into its assembly plant in Cologne, Germany – its largest manufacturing center in Europe. The investment aims to modernise the facility, transforming its existing vehicle assembly operations to fully produce the brand’s range of all-electric vehicles. 

Ford says that its first European-built, volume all-electric passenger vehicle for European customers will be produced at the facility from 2023 onwards. A potential for a second model to be manufactured there is also being considered, it added.

“We are charging into an all-electric future in Europe,” said Ford of Europe president Stuart Rowley. “We will offer an exceptional range of electrified vehicles, supported by customer-centric digital services and experiences, allowing our customers to come with us on the journey to a fully electric future, starting right now with the launch of the all-electric Mustang Mach-E.”

Ford released the 2021 Mustang Mach-E, its first all-electric crossover, back in December 2020. It comes with a battery choice of either a standard-range 75.7 kWh or 98.8 kWh, offering zero to 100 km/h acceleration in just 3.5 seconds. The vehicle’s estimated EPA range is at 370km for the standard version, and 483km for the extended battery pack.

The European zero-emissions regulations require carmakers in Europe to produce electric vehicles in order to meet new, lower limits on emissions of carbon dioxide. The new limit, which took effect earlier this year, is part of the European Union’s efforts to comply with the 2015 Paris agreement on global warming. Manufacturers that fail to hold fleet average emissions below the limit are set to face heavy fines.

Ford Vehicles To Be Powered by Android From 2023 Onwards

Ford and Google have announced a new partnership that will span a period of six years. The deal will see the former’s automobiles to be powered by the tech company‘s Android operating system and feature integrated first-party apps such as Maps, Voice Assistant and Play from 2023 onwards.

The partnership would also enable the automaker to embrace digitalisation by transforming major aspects of its car business. This includes the process of designing, engineering and assembly of its vehicles, as well as customer experience in terms of retail and onboard features. To facilitate this, both Ford and Google are establishing a new collaborative group called Team Upshift, which combines the talent and assets from both companies.

The car manufacturer has also named Google Cloud as its preferred cloud provider to leverage on the tech company’s expertise in data, artificial intelligence and machine learning. This would enable the automaker to implement data-driven business models, such as providing car owners with real-time notices such as maintenance requests or trade-in alerts.

In regards to privacy concerns, Ford vice president of strategy and partnerships David McClelland told Forbes that all customer data will be secured and not be used for monetisation. “Google (will) not have access to Ford data in the Google cloud,” he said.

“As Ford continues the most profound transformation in our history with electrification, connectivity and self-driving, Google and Ford coming together establishes an innovation powerhouse truly able to deliver a superior experience for our customers and modernize our business,” said Ford president and CEO Jim Farley. “This integration will unleash our teams to innovate for Ford and Lincoln customers while seamlessly providing access to Google’s world-class apps and services.”

As mentioned earlier, the automaker plans to integrate Google’s Android OS, its apps and features to Ford and Lincoln branded vehicles beginning in 2023. The rollout will be done globally, providing most markets with the new Ford-Google cars and services – except for China, where the tech company is banned.

Ford And Nissan Facing Vehicle Production Slowdown Due To Shortage In Chip Supply

Smartphones, video game consoles and PC components have been experiencing slow downs in production since late last year due to a shortage of semiconductor supplies. This setback has continued ever since, even affecting companies from the automotive industry including Ford, Nissan and many others.

Several sources report that the shortage of chips have caused Ford to delay vehicle production at its Louisville, Kentucky SUV factory this week. The downtime was originally planned to commence later this year, but was moved up early due to the current situation. Concurrently, Nissan also resorted to reduce the output of cars at its Oppama plant in Japan due to the limited supply of semiconductors.

These chips are a necessary component in modern cars, especially for powering features such as driver assistance, infotainment systems and even basic functions such as steering. The recent shortage was caused by factory shutdowns of various key semiconductor manufacturers in late 2020, which was caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic across the globe.

According to Reuters and Engadget, other automakers affected by the issue include Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler and Toyota. The first of which revealed back in December that it was altering vehicle manufacturing in China, Europe and North America factories in light of the shortage, while the latter two also expressed concerns regarding the possibility of setbacks in production.

At this current time, it appears that chip supply limitations will continue to affect various industries, as it will take some time until semiconductor companies are able to recover their output capacity. Of course, provided that no further pandemic-related mishaps are to occur along the way.