Addressing the challenges of mobility by offering an electrified version of every vehicle sold in Europe. This is Ford's commitment for the near future, with accessible solutions ranging from mild hybrid to fully electric.
Ford has committed to offering an electrified version of every vehicle sold in Europe. The American brand's objective is to offer, in the near future, a complete range of different powertrain solutions that are accessible and help address the challenges of mobility. The manufacturer has stated that by the end of 2022, electrified powertrains will account for more than half of Ford car sales. There will be 18 electrified models that Ford will make available on the market by 2021. At least, those were the plans before the coronavirus emergency — plans that, as is the case for many manufacturers, could be subject to delays or changes.
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Among the automotive brands most committed since the start of the coronavirus emergency with initiatives and donations, Ford too has seen the temporary suspension of vehicle and engine production at the majority of its European manufacturing sites, which is expected to continue until at least 4 May. Like many manufacturers, Ford has had to implement the temporary suspension of production at its main European plants, setting different restart dates depending on the country. "We hope the situation can improve soon so that we can begin our recovery plans, which will in any case be subject to the conditions and measures introduced by national governments," said Stuart Rowley, president of Ford Europe. Recovery plans will depend on how the spread of the pandemic evolves in the coming weeks, on the national restrictions in force at the time, and on issues relating to suppliers and the ability of the Ford network to operate. During the emergency, the manufacturer has committed to supporting communities by launching at its plants the production of face masks, respirators, ventilators and other essential medical equipment, as well as supplying vehicles for transporting medicines, food and essential goods.
With a global investment of 11 billion dollars, Ford has recently announced its firm intention to focus on electric mobility in all its forms. The starting point is the simplest hybrid technology, the 48-volt mild hybrid, moving through hybrid and plug-in hybrid, all the way to pure electric. In total, there will be 18 electrified models by the end of 2021. Among these are the mild hybrid variants — identified under the EcoBoost Hybrid name — of widely popular models such as the Fiesta and Focus, as well as new models like the Puma and the Kuga SUV, through to the most virtuous in terms of emissions: the electric Mustang Mach-E.
Among the most eagerly awaited new arrivals is certainly the Ford Kuga, "Ford's most electrified car ever," as a press release explains. It is in fact the first model in the brand's range to offer three hybrid variants: mild-hybrid, hybrid and plug-in hybrid, the latter with 72 kilometres of electric range, making it the most efficient version in the lineup. The plug-in hybrid and 48-volt mild-hybrid versions are already available, while the hybrid version, which uses a full-hybrid system, will follow later in the year.
It's called the Puma, and it is Ford's new compact crossover. The EcoBoost Hybrid version adopts mild hybrid technology. This is the entry-level hybrid technology, yet it already offers a number of advantages in terms of fuel consumption, emissions, and — depending on local regulations — also in terms of access to low-emission zones. In the case of mild hybrid systems such as that of the Ford Puma, the petrol engine (in this case a three-cylinder 1.0-litre) is assisted during the active phases of starting and acceleration by an electric motor powered by a 48-volt lithium-ion battery. As with other hybrids, during the deceleration phases (downhill stretches or slowdowns) the system recovers energy and recharges the battery.
Two other Ford models involved in the intensive electrification programme are the S-Max in its five- or seven-seat version and the seven-seat Galaxy, both updated through the shared petrol-electric full-hybrid architecture introduced in the new Kuga. Here too, the lithium-ion battery is mounted in an impact-resistant and waterproof structure beneath the car's floor, allowing for more efficient use of space. The power output of both hybrid versions is two hundred horsepower.
Last February, pre-orders for the Mustang Mach-E, Ford's first electric SUV, also officially opened in Italy. Available in two versions — one rear-wheel drive, the other with 4×4 all-wheel drive — the new model is offered in two power levels: a 75.7 kWh version and an extended range version with 98.8 kWh, which guarantees a maximum electric range of up to six hundred kilometres. On the subject of charging, when using a fast charge point (with a maximum power of 150 kW), the Mustang Mach-E gains a range of up to 93 kilometres in ten minutes of charging.
Among the fourteen electrified models that Ford announced by the end of 2020, there are also the hybrid and plug-in versions of the Transit Custom and the Tourneo Custom. Ford is the first brand to provide plug-in hybrid technology in the one-tonne commercial vehicle segment. These are models designed for the transport of goods or passengers that, depending on the version, can offer an electric driving range of over fifty kilometres. In the case of the plug-in hybrid versions, the 92.9 kW electric motor powered by a 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack is paired with a 1.0 petrol engine, which acts as a range extender guaranteeing a total range of over five hundred kilometres, with fuel consumption of up to 2.7 litres per hundred kilometres and CO2 emissions of 60 g/km.