President of Ford Europe, Stuart Rowley, labeled the ban on combustion engine and hybrid cars by 2035 “hugely ambitious”, and called on the government to consult with the car industry over the plans.
Speaking to Yesauto at the European debut of the Mustang Mach-E, held at London's Marble Arch, Rowley said: “That's a hugely ambitious goal they've set out and if we were to achieve that it would require a huge amount of cooperation between industry, government, cities, local authorities. Because it's not just about having the vehicles available, it's about people being able to use them and people being able to afford them, and them being suitable for their everyday life. That's going to mean charging infrastructure, and everything that goes with it.”
Rowley admits that, at present, electric cars are not a viable option for all, and is concerned over the inclusion of hybrids in the ban.
“Today an EV will not the right solution for everyone, EVs are not the cheap solution. So there has to be something for everyone. The objective should not be banning things, it should be working out the best way to reduce CO2 emissions while at the same time allowing consumers to move themselves around and be able to have access to a vehicle.
“We are concerned that they have excluded hybrids, we think that's an important discussion we need to have with the government. Ford is electrifying all of its vehicles today. The new Mustang Mach-E is a fantastic vehicle but it's not a car for everybody. We're also putting mild hybrid in a Fiesta, Britain's best selling vehicle, so it's set to become even more fuel efficient, with a one litre three cylinder mild hybrid.
“So we think hybrids can be an important part of the mix. We are going to be discussing this with them, engaging with them, and helping work out what will be the best way forward.”
Speaking on recent comments from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps suggesting the ban could be moved forward to 2032, Rowley called for clarity over plans, and urged all parties to help private owners adopt electric vehicles.
He said: “Having rapidly changing objectives for different countries – keeping mind we make cars for the whole of the Europe region and not just the UK – is not helpful. In that respect you could say setting an objective for 2035 is long term planning, but in order to do that we need to stick to it, because changing plans does not help.
“To make EV ownership an option for all, we don't just need thousands of more charging stations, we need hundreds of thousands, whether they be where people work, shop, go to the cinema, or on new housing developments.
“It's not just centralised government that needs to make commitments, it's local authorities too. It's an ambition that has been stated, but to achieve the ambition is going to require huge amounts of investment on everybody's part. Are they doing enough? Well, it's not been done yet, but 2035 is still 15 years away and that's a lot of time.
“It's got to be a partnership.”
Keyword: Ford boss labels government plans to ban sales of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by 2035 "hugely ambitious"