Now Ford too joins the list of carmakers announcing an epochal step: a complete switch to electric, across the board, within just a few years. The European division unveiled its plans for the future at an event fittingly renamed "Ford Horizon", where it outlined a timetable of milestones and investments.

On the timeline front, as confirmed by Stuart Rowley, president of Ford of Europe, by mid-2026 all vehicles sold in Europe will have at least a plug-in hybrid or full electric version, and by 2030 they will all be electric. Commercial vehicles will follow a slightly different path: the first electrified versions will make their appearance as early as 2024, and by 2030 the estimate is for two-thirds of sales to be electrified.

To carry out the ambitious programme, Ford intends — as mentioned — to invest: 22 billion in total disbursed for the transition to electric, one billion for the Cologne plant alone, driven by a decisive push from the alliance with Volkswagen, with which the Blue Oval will share the modular Meb platform dedicated to electric vehicles, and the joint venture with Otosan for product development and procurement.

Growth in the commercial vehicle sector will furthermore be built around an ecosystem of connected services developed together with customers, among which one new development stands out: the partnership with Google for the development of autonomous driving.

Ford Cologne electrification center

Ford has decided to invest one billion dollars in its Cologne plant, a sum that will be used to modernise the facility and optimise the production process. The German site is one of the Blue Oval's largest manufacturing centres in Europe, and will officially become the "Ford Cologne electrification center" for the production of electric vehicles, the brand's first facility of this kind in Europe.

The first fully electric passenger car built in Europe for European customers will be produced in Cologne from 2023, with the possibility of a second fully electric vehicle being built at the same plant. The company's entry into the world of electric will instead be officially marked by the launch of the Mustang Mach-E, the Blue Oval's first electric SUV, arriving at the end of 2021.

"Today's announcement of our intention to transform the Cologne facility, home to our operations in Germany for 90 years, is one of the most significant Ford has made in over a generation," said Rowley. "We will offer an exceptional range of electrified vehicles, supported by consumer-focused digital services and experiences, enabling our customers to come with us on the journey towards a fully electric future."

"The decision to make the Cologne production and development site the centre of electric mobility for Ford in Europe is an important signal to our entire workforce," added Martin Hennig, chairman of the General Works Council of Ford-Werke GmbH. "It offers a long-term perspective for our employees and at the same time encourages them to help shape this electric future."