Ford’s European Job Cuts Reveal Flaws in Electric Car Push

Ford Motor Company announced a major workforce reduction at its electric vehicle plant in Cologne, Germany, with up to 1,000 jobs set to vanish amid unexpectedly weak demand for electric cars. This move is just the latest sign that Europe’s aggressive push for battery-powered vehicles—often driven by bureaucratic mandates rather than market realities—is faltering. The Cologne plant, which produces an all-electric variant of the Explorer SUV, will scale back from two shifts to one starting January. Ford plans to handle these cuts primarily through voluntary buyouts and departures. This follows a broader restructuring program announced late last year that aims...