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The automotive giant lays off more than 1,000 employees at its Cologne factories
Ford announced on Thursday that it will cut a further 1,000 jobs at its plant in Cologne, Germany, as part of a restructuring aimed at responding to lower demand for electric vehicles in Europe. The company will move from operating two shifts to just one from January 2026.
The new cut adds to the plan presented in 2024, which envisages the elimination of 4,000 jobs in Europe by 2027, around 14% of its workforce. The majority of the reductions will be concentrated in Germany and the UK, increasing the pressure on workers on the continent.
This announcement comes months after Ford faced historic strike action in Cologne, which disrupted production of the electric Explorer and Capri models. The company is also facing increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers such as BYD, which offer lower-cost electric vehicles.
Although Ford points out that demand for electric vehicles has been weaker than expected, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) shows that more than 1 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were registered in the European Union between January and July 2025. In Germany, Ford registered just 10,924 BEVs by August, less than 15% of its total sales in that period.
Difficulties arise despite Ford’s 2 billion euro investment to modernize its plant in Cologne. The company is also betting on the Puma Gen-E, its electric version of the best-selling model in Europe, which even managed to qualify for the UK’s new electric car subsidy program. However, the low market share remains a challenge for the brand.
© Unidad Editorial Información Deportiva, S.L.U. All rights reserved.
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