Car maker Ford Motor is to lay off about 3,000 employees and temporary workers to cut costs and accelerate the switch to electric cars.
The U.S. car manufacturer announced its intention in an email sent to its employees. It said those concerned by the cutbacks will be informed from this week.
The workforce reduction will affect primarily workers in the United States, a company spokesperson said. About 2,000 jobs are to be cut at its plant in Dearborn, Michigan. A spokesperson for the group did not rule out the possibility of more jobs disappearing.
Bloomberg news agency previously reported that Ford was considering cutting up to 8,000 jobs.
The U.S. group split its operations into two business units in March, one for electric vehicles and one for combustion engine vehicles. It had announced earlier that significant action was being taken in the combustion engine department.
Ford wants to invest $50 billion in the production and marketing of electric cars. By the end of 2026, it aims to make two million electric-powered cars per year. Last year it made fewer than 30,000.
