Ford's electric u‑turn: Hybrid drives to take centre stage by 2030

Do you remember Ford's declaration that it would sell only electric vehicles by 2030? Apparently, someone in the management realised that this was not the way to go.

Marin Gjaja, chief operating officer of Ford E's electric division, admitted in an interview with Autocar magazine that the company had abandoned the idea of selling exclusively electric vehicles by 2030. The reason? Uncertainty regarding the demand for electric vehicles and legislative issues.

The varying speed at which markets adapt to electric vehicles, the high costs of batteries, and the discontinuation of government subsidies are reasons why the focus has shifted to hybrid drives for the Puma, Focus, and Kuga.

Gjaja explained that customers had spoken and told us the plan was too ambitious to put it this way. Everyone in the industry understood this through painful examples. Reality has verified the plans.

However, Ford still intends to sell only electric vehicles in the UK, where the Labour Party plans to reinstate the ban on the sale of combustion vehicles as early as 2030.

Ford recently unveiled the electric Capri model, which, like the Explorer, was developed in collaboration with Volkswagen. Electric versions of the Puma and Tourneo Courier are also planned.