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One of Britain’s most popular cars is about to retire as car giant Ford announces its move to electric vehicles.
Ford will reportedly stop production after the famous Ford Fiesta model “runs out of gas.” With more than 16 million sales, the Fiesta is one of the most popular cars in British motoring history.
Three recent events could mark the end of the Fiesta.
According to The Times, some automotive media sources have begun to speculate that production of the model could be halted as the automaker plans to switch to electric.
In addition, production of the three-door version of the Fiesta has ceased.
A third development that could spell the end of the full-blown model is that the Fiesta will need a major makeover to break into the European Electric Vehicle market.
The company also announced its first electric product in Europe – the Fiesta is not one of them.
However, the model’s long and winding road may not be quite over.
The Times reported that a Ford spokesman said: “The Fiesta is still on sale.
Production, delivery and lead times continue to be impacted by global semiconductor shortages.
“We’re committed to maximizing production for our customers by building every vehicle to the quality they expect.”
The Fiesta was first launched in 1976.
The news comes after Ford backed the EU’s plan to ban new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035 to meet zero-emissions targets.
Ford is one of 25 major companies to petition the European Union to ban the sale of new internal combustion engine cars and vans by 2035.
The automaker has pledged to phase out ICE vehicles by 2035 while achieving net-zero carbon neutrality.
Earlier this month, lawmakers in the European Parliament’s environment committee backed the EU’s plan to impose a ban from 2035.
They also voted against proposals for tougher targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cars over the decade, angering climate change activists.
The committee backed a proposal to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 100 percent by 2035, which would make new fossil-fueled cars unsustainable in the EU’s 27 countries.
The European Commission proposed the targets in a package of measures on climate change last year.
They are based on the suggestion that new cars will be on the road for 10 to 15 years – meaning 2035 is the latest date when sales of polluting cars can end without affecting plans to achieve zero emissions by 2050.
In support of the move, Ford Europe has called on the EU to “set binding targets for charging infrastructure” to facilitate a large-scale shift to electric vehicles.
The company has not suggested what those goals should look like, but a recent report by accounting giant Ernst & Young suggested that by 2035, Europe will need 65 million charging points to accommodate about 130 million electric vehicles.
According to Ernst & Young, about 85% of these devices must be installed in the home.
If the European Union is to reach its net-zero emissions target by 2050, it will need to fundamentally change the quality and capacity of Europe’s electric vehicle charging network, says Ford of Europe.
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