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The launches include electric variants of the
Kuga and Puma SUVs and the Mondeo sedan. The automaker also
plans to launch 15 other electric vehicles by 2024 in Europe,
including a new Mustang-inspired electric SUV next year.
The automaker has been restructuring in Europe, and said in June
it would cut 12,000 jobs, close five plants and cut shifts at
other factories in Europe by the end of 2020, in an effort to
return the region to profitability.
Ford Europe has been losing money for years and the pressure to
restructure its operations increased after rival General Motors
raised profits by selling its European Opel and Vauxhall brands
to France's Peugeot SA.
The challenge of investing in electric, hybrid and autonomous
vehicles while having to overhaul combustion engines to meet new
clean-air rules, has forced Europe's carmakers to slash fixed
costs and streamline their model portfolios.
Ford said on Tuesday it would partner with six leading energy
suppliers across Europe to provide home charging wall box
installation services and green energy tariffs for its electric
car owners.
The company will also introduce a smartphone app that will let
its users and operators locate, navigate to and pay for
charging.
Ford said it expects its electric vehicle line-up to surpass
sales of gasoline and diesel models by 2022 in Europe, and
expects to sell 1 million electric vehicles by then. (http://bit.ly/2m2uZA7)
(Reporting by Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb
Chakrabarty)
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