Jim Baumbick, a key figure in Ford’s product strategy, argues that the American automaker does not develop vehicles simply to comply with regulations, but to respond to what customers are actually willing to buy and use every day.
Starting from this premise, Ford is asking European institutions for a more flexible approach to energy-transition rules, one that does not exclude intermediate technologies from the start. The position adds Ford to the list of automakers pushing back against overly strict European regulations, including BMW, whose outgoing CEO has strongly criticized the EU’s current approach.
Ford defends plug-in hybrids and range extenders in Europe’s EV transition
At the center of Ford’s position is the role of plug-in hybrids and range-extender vehicles, solutions that allow drivers to cover short trips in electric mode while keeping a combustion engine for longer journeys. According to Ford, this formula could represent the most effective way to gradually bring skeptical drivers closer to electric mobility, without forcing a technological leap that many would see as premature.
Part of this caution comes from the state of charging infrastructure, which remains insufficient in several European countries. Another factor is the price positioning of fully electric vehicles, which still remains too high for a significant share of buyers.
These factors, combined with a market already complicated by growing pressure from Chinese automakers, are slowing battery-electric adoption. According to Baumbick, they also make it risky to focus every effort on a single technology.
The issue also extends to the industrial and commercial dimension. The European Union is defining new measures to encourage local EV production, but Ford fears that some of these rules could penalize manufacturing partners outside the bloc, from the United States to Morocco and Turkey. A tougher stance on this front could further complicate the group’s competitiveness in the European market.
Ford reiterates its commitment to reducing CO2 emissions, but insists on a path that includes several technologies in parallel, from fully electric vehicles to plug-in hybrids and range-extender solutions. For the American automaker, the fastest road toward decarbonization is the one drivers are actually ready to take.
