Gary Zhou 
Ford Motor Company executives teased the arrival of the automaker’s next-generation electric vehicle projects as it bid farewell to the Ford Fiesta, a staple vehicle in its ICE unit.
Ford Model e Europe unit director Martin Sander shared today that the automaker would eliminate the Ford Fiesta from its product line after this year. Ford has produced the Fiesta for 47 years, and while it is only produced in Cologne, Germany, the automaker built over 22 million units in five decades.
It appears the time to move on has come. Ford has announced the departure of the Fiesta from its lineup through a series of sentimental videos highlighting the vehicle’s development through its seven generations.
With the departure of the Ford Fiesta, the automaker is evidently gearing up for a more concerted effort to develop competitive electric vehicles. Ford has big plans for its EV lineup in Europe, and Sander only reiterated that in his posting.
“It’s time to say goodbye to the little car that has touched us all – thanks for all the memories,” Sander said of the Fiesta. “But honestly, I can’t wait to show you what we’ve got coming. Stay tuned!”
In March, Ford’s Model e unit, which was erected to separate EV ventures from gas-powered cars, announced it would drastically increase its electric vehicle offerings in Europe. With goals to manufacture seven new EV models and nine total in the market by 2024, Ford plans to offer both passenger and commercial options in the market.
“Our march toward an all-electric future is an absolute necessity for Ford to meet the mobility needs of customers across a transforming Europe,” Ford of Europe Chairman Stuart Rowley said in March. “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.”
Ford has already said it would produce an electric version of the Puma, which will be built in Craiova, Romania, in 2024. Other vehicles projects have not yet been released, but Ford is also pumping $2 billion to expand the Cologne production plant. Ford plans to build EV batteries at the facility and expects to build 1.2 million vehicles annually at the reinvented Cologne Electrification Centre by 2030.
