By Priya Raghuvanshi
Copyright timesnownews
As part of its ongoing restructuring in response to weakening electric vehicle (EV) demand, Ford Motor will cut around 1,000 jobs at its Cologne facility in Germany starting in early 2026, Bloomberg reported, citing German news agency DPA. The decision affects the EV production division at the Cologne plant, with Ford confirming the move in a statement reported by Reuters on Tuesday. “In Europe, demand for electric cars remains well below industry forecasts,” the statement noted. Cologne Plant To Shift To Single-Shift Production According to Ford, the Cologne site will switch to single-shift operations beginning January 2026, triggering the expected layoffs. “Ford will therefore switch production at the Cologne plant to single-shift operation from January 2026,” Reuters cited from the company’s statement. This shift highlights the growing pressure automakers are facing as EV adoption in Europe lags behind expectations, despite strong initial growth in previous years. South African Plants Also Affected The Cologne cuts follow similar workforce reductions announced across other regions. Just last month, Bloomberg reported that over 470 jobs will be eliminated at two South African plants, the Silverton assembly facility in Pretoria and the Struandale engine plant in Gqeberha. The layoffs were formally communicated to labour representatives, according to the labour union Solidarity, the report added. Broader Restructuring Across Europe and North America These layoffs are part of Ford’s broader plan to streamline operations amid slowing EV sales and intensifying global competition, particularly from China’s heavily subsidised EV market. Earlier in 2024, Ford announced it would cut 14 per cent of its European workforce, representing around 4,000 jobs, mainly in Germany and the UK. These reductions are expected to take place through the end of 2027. In North America, the company also began downsizing. In May 2025, USA Today reported that Ford laid off nearly 350 employees from its connected-vehicle software division across the US and Canada, making up 5 per cent of that team.
