Ford plans for all cars sold in Europe to be electric by 2030

US firm to spend $1bn converting plant in Cologne to become its first electric vehicle facility in Europe

Ford has pledged that all of its cars on sale in Europe will be electric by 2030, in the latest move by the world’s biggest auto manufacturers to set out plans to move away from polluting internal combustion engines before looming bans on fossil-fuel vehicles across the world.

The US car giant said on Wednesday that it was going “all in” on electric vehicles and would invest $1bn (£720m) converting a vehicle assembly plant in Cologne, Germany, to become its first electric vehicle facility in Europe. It said the first all-electric cars would start rolling off the production line there in 2023.

Announced today, #Ford goes “all-in” on electric vehicles in Europe; invests $1bn in transforming Cologne facility into an electrification centre. #GoElectric pic.twitter.com/aHltzs9GAU