Ford joins lobby for an exclusively EV-ferried Europe by 2035

Ford has joined calls that all new cars and vans in Europe should be purely electric by 2035.

In a statement, Ford of Europe said that the company — along with 27 other firms — is appealing to the European Union (EU) to ensure all new cars and vans in the continent are zero emission from the aforementioned year and to establish mandatory targets for charging infrastructure. 

Ford said that the plea stated that the removal of internal combustion engine-powered vehicles is imperative for Europe to reach its target of net zero emissions by 2050, and “help avoid the worst impacts of climate change on people and the planet.” The request includes enacting laws that establish standards and provide a clear timeline for the industry and suppliers to follow to ensure the transition to electric vehicles.

“At Ford in Europe, we believe that freedom of movement goes hand-in-hand with caring for our planet and each other,” Ford of Europe Chair Stuart Rowley said. “That’s why we are targeting all Ford vehicles to be zero emission by 2035. To successfully achieve this, EU policymakers must also establish mandatory national targets for a seamless electric charging infrastructure that lives up to the growing demand for electric vehicles.”

Rowley will be part of the European Car Climate Summit, hosted by the campaign group Transport and Environment on May 18, as a member of the panel discussing the right time for businesses, workers and consumers to go fully electric. 

Ford of Europe shared that the EU decision-makers are currently deciding on new clean car rules, following a proposal by the EU Commission – supported by companies appealing for such initiative – that only zero-emission new cars and vans can be sold EU-wide from 2035.

The European Parliament and EU governments will decide by June, with the final law expected to be adopted soon after.

For Ford of Europe, the road towards zero-emission vehicles is being paved by a new generation of seven, all-electric, fully-connected passenger vehicles and vans, coming to Europe by 2024.

Leading the charge are the Mustang Mach-E, which last year achieved maximum safety and green ratings from Euro NCAP and Green NCAP, and the E-Transit, which received the Gold Award from Euro NCAP for its advanced driver assistance systems.

For the past 12 months, Ford of Europe introduced a range of initiatives that contribute towards a more sustainable future, outlined in the European Sustainability Digest 2022.

The company said that the digest is “a companion to Ford’s global Integrated Sustainability and Financial Report and details the significant steps Ford is taking towards targeting carbon neutrality across its European footprint of facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035.”

Earlier in the year, Ford published its first Human Rights Report — an integral part of the Sustainability Report that shows how materials are sourced, where Ford products are made, and how the company’s labor standards measure up. 

The electricity used at the company’s production plants in Europe are 100-percent renewable.

Further, Ford’s planned production of electric vehicles in Cologne, Germany, is now expected to be 1.2 million vehicles over six years, with a total product investment of $2 billion.

Moreover, Ford’s BlueOval Charging Network has more than 300,000 charge points in Europe, and 1,000 charging stations will be put up on the company’s European sites by 2023 for its employees.

The company is also proud to be part of RouteZero, a global coalition working towards 100-percent fully electric cars and vans globally by 2040.

Photos from Ford

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