Ford reeling in jobs world wide

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64629072

Is it because EVs need less workers to make them or do they envisage less people being able to afford them ?

" In June, the final Fiesta will roll off the production line in Cologne. The one-time best-selling runabout is no longer considered viable to make, and there will be no direct successor. The Fiesta name is expected to be consigned to history."


Maybe mine will be a classic in time to come. Jules

Quote from article
Ford believes that as development of traditional petrol and diesel vehicles tails off, it will require fewer product development staff - because although they require sophisticated software, electric cars are mechanically pretty simple.

So this is an area in which it thinks it can make savings. A total of 2,800 engineering jobs are to be cut across Europe, most of them in the UK and Germany.

I think that you are right, they need less people, although robots are looking for a productive future. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

These 4 videos show how BMW produce the i3 EV car.

I haven't watched them for a while, so I will leave you all to spot the Robot to Human ratio.

When I first saw these I thought that the robot chassis handling was impressive.








 FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

The press is always pushing articles about EVs only having a few dozen moving parts etc and how they replace an ICE car with umpteen thousand. This is clearly wrong and naive. Apart from the engine and gearbox most of the car will be the same with a diff, half shafts, CV joints, shockers, suspension joints, steering rack, discs, brakes, aircon, blowers, wipers and so on. In fact there are about 40 electric motors already in a car. My guess is that they will be just as troublesome as they get older. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

As EV's progress CV's drive shafts and diffs will disappear. the motor and wheel will be all in one, despite unsprung weight cost will reign supreme. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Another small factor is young people not getting a car or for that matter getting a driver's licence in the first place. Has been slowly decreasing.

If you are in the city or relatively close, you can save a bucket load of money not owning a car & get around on a battery power bike, scooter, skateboard or mono scooter. There seems to be ever increasing numbers of them.

If you do get caught breaking road rules, you can't lose demerit points or your driver's licence because you don't have one!

The young people probably see it as been better from many aspects. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

Lightwater wrote
If you are in the city or relatively close, you can save a bucket load of money not owning a car & get around on a battery power bike, scooter, skateboard or mono scooter. There seems to be ever increasing numbers of them.

After a recent visit into central Bristol, I can confirm this, bikes and scooters are everywhere.

As they wizzed closely by, I felt quite alarmed as they went everywhere and in any direction, pavements included.

Also of a danger to pedestrians is the silent (and very quick) acceleration of EV cars when they come out of a side road, and on to the road that you have just checked as clear to cross.

Cars do seem to be on the way out in cities, but out in the rural areas lack of reliable, quick public transport means that cars are essential.
To and from the city and some main towns are covered by buses, but they often don't turn up, and many of my destinations are not covered at all by public transport.
I feel strongly that I need a car, and at the moment, EVs are too expensive and limited, especially as the one and only main car. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

There is also a political dimension - Biden's administration is offering $billions in support to American companies to return their manufacturing to the mother country. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

IanMetro wrote:

Also of a danger to pedestrians is the silent (and very quick) acceleration of EV cars when they come out of a side road, and on to the road that you have just checked as clear to cross.