Ford is to launch seven new fully electric vehicles in Europe by 2024, supporting plans to go net zero by 2035.

Ford’s new European EVs include three electric cars and four eLCVs, supporting plans to go net zero by 2035

The newly announced vehicles include three new electric cars and four new eLCVs, created through its newly announced Ford Model e EV-focused division.

The plans include an electric mid-sized crossover that will be built at its plant in Cologne from 2023 and will offer a 500km (311-mile) electric range. It will be developed under Ford’s alliance with Volkswagen and based on VW’s MEB architecture also used for vehicles such as the ID.4.

This will be joined by a second electric vehicle – a sports crossover – on the Cologne production lines in 2024.

Meanwhile an electric version of the Puma will also launch in 2024, produced in Craiova, Romania.

Ford is also expanding its Transit range with four new electric models – the all-new Transit Custom one-tonne van and Tourneo Custom multi-purpose vehicle in 2023, and the smaller, next-generation Transit Courier van and Tourneo Courier multi-purpose vehicle in 2024.

Together, the new vehicles will support Ford’s global plans to significantly reduce carbon emissions. The company today announced it is targeting zero emissions for all vehicle sales in Europe and carbon neutrality across its European base of facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035.

“Our march toward an all-electric future is an absolute necessity for Ford to meet the mobility needs of customers across a transforming Europe,” said Stuart Rowley, chair, Ford of Europe. “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.”

Thanks to the extended range of electric passenger and commercial vehicle models, Ford expects its annual sales of electric vehicles in Europe to exceed 600,000 units in 2026 – underpinning its goal to sell more than two million EVs globally by 2026.

Today’s confirmation that a second electric vehicle will be produced at Cologne means that EV  production at the facility will increase to 1.2 million vehicles over a six-year timeframe. Investment in the new electric passenger vehicles to be built in Cologne is expected to be $2bn (£1.53bn / €1.83bn). The investment includes a new battery assembly facility scheduled to start operations in 2024.

Ford has also boosted its electric and commercial vehicle capacity with a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with SK On Co Ltd. and Koç Holding to create one of Europe’s largest commercial EV battery production sites in Turkey.

The joint venture would be located near Ankara and will manufacture high Nickel NMC cells for assembly into battery array modules. Production is intended to start as early as mid-decade with an annual capacity likely to be in the range of 30 to 45 Gigawatt hours.

Alongside this, Ford has announced that Ford Otosan will assume ownership of the Craiova plant and manufacturing business, subject to regulatory approval and consultation.

“We welcome this opportunity to grow our joint venture with Koc Holding and leverage this strategic partnership to better utilize our resources and know-how in Romania,” Rowley said. “Ford Craiova is today a strong success story, and we believe that through Ford Otosan’s experience and expertise in electrification and commercial vehicles it can reach even higher levels of achievement.”