For The Sake Of Electric Vehicles, Ford Will Turn Off Three Gasoline Engine Models

Ford Escape 2023. (Doc. Ford Motor Company)

JAKARTA - The rapid progress experienced by the electric vehicle industry (EV) supported by new rules due to climate change has forced automotive manufacturers to design the latest EV products, even at the expense and cessation of production of existing models.

One of the manufacturers who took this step was Ford. After stopping Fiesta production, Ford is faced with a difficult decision to stop the production of three other gasoline-fueled models, namely Escape, Edge, and Transit Connect, in order to make way for the latest generation of electric vehicles.

Reporting from Automotive News, Sunday, August 27, this step was taken to allow further investment in the electrification segment, although Ford is aware that this will result in a loss of USD 4.5 billion. Even so, Ford is determined to produce 400,000 electric vehicles per year in the near future.

Although Ford is working on achieving this target, they are not sure they will achieve it again by 2024, as previously announced. This resulted in Ford reviewing their targets, hoping to reach 2 million production units by 2026.

However, Ford is optimistic that the second-generation platform for electric vehicles will become more efficient and effective in reducing costs by eight percent by 2026. The platform will be used for full-sized pickups and three-line SUVs.

The high demand for electric vehicles will reduce Ford's dependence on gasoline-engined vehicles, which are currently a mainstay to reduce losses in the electrification segment.

However, old products such as Escape, Edge, and Transit Connect seem to end their heyday. The Edge model is planned to be stopped production next year to provide space for Ford in preparation to present the next-generation three-line electric SUV.

The same applies to Transit Connect, which will stop production in 2024, although this vehicle will still be available in European showrooms.

The termination of Transit model production is also an issue due to the emergence of the E-Transit, resulting in a conventional fuel version losing its production site and it is likely that this electric vehicle will have a further reach in the next few years.

While Escape has received an update this year, Ford is also listing it in a list of models to stop its production. While there is no certainty of time, Ford is not planning to develop the latest generation from Escape.

Additionally, Ford CEO Jim Farley recently revealed that the company plans to increase sales of its hybrid models after the success of electric Maverick and F-150.

Ford has invested billions of dollars in electric vehicle development and is committed to offering at least 10 electric car models in Europe by 2025.