Ford Motor Company executives teased the arrival of the manufacturer’s next-generation electric vehicle projects and bid farewell to one of the best-selling cars, the Ford Fiesta, as per Teslarati.
Ford Fiesta Departure
Martin Sander, Ford Model Europe unit director, said the company would drop the Ford Fiesta from its product line after this year.
Ford produced the Fiesta for 47 years only in Cologne, Germany. The automaker built over 22 million units in over five decades.
However, it appears it’s the end of an era as the company announced the departure of the Fiesta from its lineup, highlighting the vehicle’s development through a series of sentimental videos in its seven generations.
With the Ford Fiesta departure, the manufacturer is preparing efforts to develop competitive electric vehicles. Ford has plans for its EV lineup in Europe, and Sander emphasized that in his posting.
“It’s time to say goodbye to the little car that has touched us all – thanks for all the memories,” Sander said of the Fiesta.
“But honestly, I can’t wait to show you what we’ve got coming. Stay tuned!”
Furthermore, Ford said it would also end Ford S-Max and Galaxy minivans’ production as it turns its focus to EVs.
Ford’s EV Lineup
In March, Ford’s Model e unit, built to separate EV ventures from gas-powered cars, declared it would increase its EV offerings in Europe.
The company aims to produce nine EV models by 2024, planning to offer commercial and passenger options in the market. Its EV lineup began with the launch of the Mach-E, Mach-E GT, and the E-Transit commercial van.
“Our march toward an all-electric future is an absolute necessity for Ford to meet the mobility needs of customers across a transforming Europe,” Ford of Europe Chairman Stuart Rowley said.
“It’s also about the pressing need for greater care of our planet, making a positive contribution to society and reducing emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.”
Notably, the company also said it would produce an electric version of the Ford Puma, which will be made in Craiova, Romania, in 2024.
Other vehicle projects have not been released yet, but the manufacturer is raising $2 billion for the Cologne production plant’s expansion.
By 2030, Ford plans to produce EV batteries at the facility and expects to build 1.2 million vehicles yearly at the reconstructed Cologne Electrification Centre.
