Posted on 12/09/2025 2:12:22 PM PST by WhiteHatBobby0701
Ford CEO Jim Farley has proven himself to be a passionate car guy, but every now and again he pops up to remind everyone he’s running a multi-billion dollar company with one of the most recognisable brand names in the world.
Earlier this week, Farley stood with US President Donald Trump as fuel economy targets were slashed, effectively allowing Ford – and other brands – to battle less red tape and sell vehicles for greater profits, while at the same time providing better up-front affordability for buyers.
Now, Farley has turned his attention to Europe, amid reports that the continent’s lawmakers are set to wind back its complete ban on new petrol and diesel internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2035.
Last week, European Union’s Transport Commissioner, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, told business publication Handelsblatt the ICE ban will likely be tweaked to allow “zero-emission and low-emission fuels, advanced biofuels”, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz previously called for plug-in hybrids (PHEVs, extended-range EVs (EREVs) and “highly efficient” ICE cars to be exempt. Ford Mustang Mach-E
In a guest column for the Financial Times, Farley called on Europe to change its “unrealistic” expectations for ICEs to be banned from showrooms by 2035, and the rapid changes required to meet that goal, especially with EV sales falling short of initial projections.
“European policymakers say they want a sustainable auto industry. But setting unrealistic regulations only to adjust them at the end of each year when consumers do not show up is a recipe for turmoil,” Farley said.
“This approach disrupts a complex cycle of product design, engineering and supply chains that require long lead times and billions in investment. We urgently need a regulatory framework for Europe that provides a realistic and reliable 10-year planning horizon.
“On one side, we face the world’s most aggressive carbon mandates, regulations that demand a pace of electrification that is decoupled from the reality of consumer demand.
“On the other, we face a flood of state-subsidised EV imports from China, structurally designed to undercut European labour and manufacturing.” Xpeng G6
Those Chinese EVs Farley speaks of are typically cheaper in Europe than locally made products, though brand-specific tariffs were brought in earlier this year to try and restore competition in the marketplace.
Farley noted that despite the influx of Chinese EVs, the market share of these vehicles is only at approximately 16 per cent, not the 25 per cent target initially proposed by lawmakers.
The executive also added more European factories are being shut down, idled or having shifts reduced, something Ford itself has faced, with the Cologne factory – home to the Explorer and Capri electric SUVs – having a quarter of its staff cut due to low demand.
Likewise, reports from Bloomberg suggested Volkswagen’s Emden plant would be cutting back staffing hours, impacting the ID.4 SUV and ID.7 sedan/wagon.
“To be clear, the industry is not asking for a bailout. We are not asking for protectionism to shield inefficiency,” Farley added in his Financial Times piece. Ford Explorer EV
“At Ford, we will continue to do the hard work of restructuring. We have closed legacy facilities, reduced our workforce and slimmed down costs to become more agile. We have invested billions in transforming our manufacturing operations in Europe and offer our customers greater choice in making the shift to an electric or hybrid vehicle.
“But if Europe wants to avoid becoming a museum of 20th-century manufacturing, we need an urgent reset and a long-term plan.
“The approach to regulation – mandate it and they will buy it – has failed. We must align carbon targets with actual market adoption and provide automakers with a realistic and reliable 10-year horizon.
“This includes giving consumers the option to drive hybrid vehicles for longer, bridging the gap rather than forcing a leap to EVs they aren’t ready to take.”
As reported last week, Automotive News claimed the Ford Bronco nameplate would be used for a new European-market SUV from 2027, offering a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain to meet market demands and emissions regulations.
Europe has hit the “assistance in dying” switch.
I’m surprised their CEO isn’t a disgusting pajeet.
The Soviets knew how to deal with this.
You just set new goals, expunge the media reports of the missed Five Year Goals, and imprison or kill all the "wreckers" who were responsible for the missed "goals"!
Well that might be your problem. It's not what you like, it's the consumer.
- Joe Dirt
EU wouldn’t have enough electricity to go all EV, and what the do have is the most costly in the western world.
Islam slowly sucked the soul out of the Hellenic World. It will do the same to Europe.
Trump just reset these “green” goals in the US, freeing manufacturers to properly service the market.
Europe should to, if they are interested in economic survival.
(Good luck with that...)
Many of the engines were made in the mid 19th century.
Some were not taken out of service until the early 1980s, probably when the factories closed for good.
The EU, and California, want to do two opposite things at the same time. They want to kill off energy production and carbon emissions, and they want to infuse a mass of (chinese) electric vehicles.
That reality stick is going to sting them on the bottom in the next 48 months.
Dearborn has been overtaken by Jihadists.
CA and EU square that circle by wanting to take most private vehicles off the road.
Like the USSR only the Regime-conncected elite gets private vehicle ownership, even if it is just a glorified electric golf cart.
Oh, I'm sure that the "right" people will be paid handsomely for their assistance. Only the working stiffs will be stung- as usual.
And if I was to ever buy an electric car, it must also run by gasoline.
The motor vehicle business should be allocated its own banking system by nation[USA] or economic union[EU].
The only transfers out of it to be to:
1. workers
2. governments
3. landlords renting space
4. utilities
5. dividends to foreign shareholders not exceeding 5% of value-added
6. suppliers of listed raw materials
7. plumbing/electrical/building contractors
Mexican-parts would get bartered for USA-made parts.
Chinese-parts would get bartered for EU-made parts.
The shift to EVs had some rational basis in the availability of low cost/low CO2 emission Russian natural gas.
That basis has been blown away.
The EU thinks by changing the rules its companies and workers can get a leg up on those of other areas.
Unfortunately, Chinese are nimbler.
Europe has to a large extent a tourist museum economy. It also exports drugs.
Jim Farley is an idiot. So Ford announces the F 150 EV truck in 2021, hits the market in 2022 and then in 2023 Farley takes a cross country test drive in one and discovers that it was an “eye opener” regarding issues that customers may have. Well no sh*t Jimbo. You’re the CEO of the company and a full year after you start selling them you decide to take a ride in your marquee product. Dumb*SS should have been fired then.
I agree 10000000%.
Ford would have better off hiring his distant cousin, the late Chris Farley. He had experience in the industry, remember him in “Tommy Boy” ??
Jim Farley will be in a race With Jefffery Immeltt as the worse C.E.O. in the history of business.
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