The American automaker Ford announced Monday its strategy to introduce seven new vehicle models across Europe by 2029, aiming to boost struggling passenger car sales and compete against aggressive expansion from Chinese automotive companies while protecting its position in Europe’s commercial vehicle marketplace.
Among the planned releases, five will be passenger vehicles, featuring both a compact electric car and a small electric SUV model.
The nation’s second-largest automaker also voiced opposition to Europe’s electric vehicle regulations, arguing that “CO2 targets must reflect actual consumer demand” and advocating for legislation that embraces plug-in hybrid and extended-range electric vehicles rather than focusing exclusively on fully electric automobiles.
“We don’t build vehicles to meet regulatory mandates; we build them for people,” stated Jim Baumbick, Ford’s European president.
During its European restructuring efforts, Ford has shuttered its Saarlouis facility in Germany and eliminated positions at its Cologne manufacturing plant.
A decade earlier, Ford ranked as Europe’s fourth-largest automaker with continental sales exceeding 1 million vehicles, based on industry lobby group ACEA statistics.
In the previous year, the company’s sales dropped to just over 426,000 vehicles, causing it to slip to eighth position, trailing behind Mercedes-Benz.
Ford’s revival efforts come as Chinese manufacturers, including BYD and Chery, are establishing European operations with rapidly increasing sales figures.
While Ford achieved only 0.1% sales growth in Europe last year, BYD experienced nearly 270% growth.
Within the commercial vehicle segment, Ford has maintained its status as one of Europe’s leading brands, although Stellantis achieves higher sales through its portfolio of multiple brands.
The company announced Monday it will immediately begin European sales of its Ranger Super Duty pickup truck, targeting emergency services, forestry operations, mining companies, and military applications.
Ford also plans to introduce sales of a fully electric transit van designed for urban environments later this year.
