Ford layoffs in Europe because of electrification

The European division of the American automaker Ford plans to lay off four figures of people, that is, at least a thousand people, from its headquarters and factory in Cologne. This was reported by Automobilwoche magazine, citing sources within the carmaker.

In Europe, the company is creating a new business structure as part of a gradual transition to exclusively producing and selling electric vehicles. And according to sources, part of that is four-digit job cuts. It has already announced that it wants to go fully electric in Europe by 2030.

Jobs will be cut in both car assembly and engine and transmission production, as well as in development, management and the sales department. This is expected to greatly affect the art center in Merkenich near Cologne. But it may also apply to other places in Europe.

These include plants in Valencia, Spain, where the automaker plans to produce electric cars, in Saarlouis, Germany, Dagenham and Halewood, Britain, Craiova, Romania, and Kocaeli, Turkey. In addition to Merkenich, there are also technical and development centers in Dunton in the UK and Aachen in Germany, and Ford has a test site in the Belgian city of Lommel.

It is not known at this time in what time frame those venues should be cancelled. The automaker didn’t comment on the reports, but said the shift to electric vehicles will force an “important change” in the way cars are built.