Ford Announced to Stop Selling Ka + in the United States

The automaker will stop producing and selling the Ford Ka + in the United States. Instead, you will bet on SUVs and commercial vehicles.

The oval brand will stop producing the Ford Ka + in the United States. This measure has been planned as part of the drive of the automaker to improve profitability in the region. Urban cars have become problematic for car brands in the United States. Due to their low market price, it is not profitable to equip them with the latest, and expensive, emission reduction technology needed.

This software must be included in all vehicles since much harder CO2 targets are being introduced from the European Union with the aim of combating climate change.

A spokesman for the oval brand has assured that the Ford Ka + housing the hid bulb that would waste light and would be subject to CO2 sanctions in 2020, “making it less attractive to customers in a competitive segment.” On the other hand, Opel belonging to the PSA Group has confirmed that it will launch its Opel Karl and Opel Adam.

PSA has also hinted that Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1 could fall after the current generation. The Volkswagen Group is not expected to replace its Volkswagen Up directly, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii. They work on how to sell cheap urban cars with batteries and zero emissions.

Ford Ka +, will stop being produced and sold in the United States
The blue oval brand began importing the Ford Ka + to the United States from India in 2016. As a replacement for the smaller Ford Ka that was built at the Fiat factory in Tychy, Poland, along with the Fiat 500, whose platform is shared. The manufacturer sold 22,406 units of the Ford Ka + until May, 13% less than the previous year, according to JATO Dynamics market analysts.

Last year, Ford sold just over 50,000 units of the Ford Ka + in the United States. In early April, dealers were told that Ford would drop the Ka +, the smallest car in its range. Shipments will officially stop in September, as reported by the brand spokesman.

Ford has also added that it will eliminate Ford C-Max and Ford Grand C-Max from its range. In January, the manufacturer unveiled a plan to fix its low profitability in Europe that includes cutting 12,000 jobs by the end of 2020. The cost reduction also provides for the closure of a T-engine plant in Bridgend, Wales, and left of the passenger car market in Russia.

The brand has made a profit of 53 million dollars in the United States in the second quarter, reversing a loss of 73 million in the same quarter of 2018. Restructuring actions in Europe and South America cost the automaker 1,200 million special charges during the quarter. Also, Ford is reviewing its product line in the United States to focus on more profitable vehicle lines. The SUVs and commercial vehicles, including the launch of the Ford Puma later this year.

“We will soon present interesting vehicles that will better adapt to customer demand in the United States,” said the spokesman. Ford also said in July that it would launch with a fully electric car in 2023 based on the platform for electrified cars. MEB, of the Volkswagen group that would follow an electric SUV that will arrive in 2020. Two new SUVs will accompany these new models in Europe in the next five years.