Ford is investing a billion dollars in the Cologne plant

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So far, Ford has been running late with electromobility but the car manufacturer is now looking to take off in Cologne and is spending a lot of money on it. The first electric cars built by Ford in Europe are expected to roll off the assembly line in 2023.

Ford wants to manufacture electric cars in Cologne. In the next two and a half years, one billion dollars (around 830 million euros) will be invested in the location to modernize and transform it into the Ford electrification center in Cologne, said Ford European boss Stuart Rowley on Wednesday in the cathedral city .

The vehicle is expected to hit the market in the second half of 2023. It is the Group's first electric car to be manufactured in Europe and intended for the mass market. In 2013 Ford brought out a Focus version as a Stromer, but in small numbers and without success.

Ford is currently producing a mixture of sports and off-road vehicles as electric vehicles in Mexico, while in Cologne it is more likely to be a small car. The construction kit - i.e. the underbody including the electric motor and battery comes from VW . Compared to the competition, Ford is late when it comes to e-mobility, now the pace should be increased.