Ford is banking on hybrids at the IAA
Ford presented what it could do in electrified vehicles to date at the IAA. A pure electric car is still missing, as only hybrids and plug-in hybrids are on show in Frankfurt. The sales targets are also notably high.
The new Ford models on display include the new SUV crossover Puma EcoBoost Mild-Hybrid, plug-in hybrid versions of the larger SUV Explorer and Tourneo Custom, and the next Kuga generation with three different hybrid drive variants.
Ford expects that by the end of 2022, the majority of its passenger car sales in Europe will be in electrified vehicles. By this time, Ford intends to have sold one million vehicles with electrified drive systems. By 2024, Ford wants to present 17 new models with a form of electrification, eight of them this year.
“With electrification fast becoming the mainstream,” says Stuart Rowley, President of Ford Europe, “we are substantially increasing the number of electrified models and powertrain options for our customers to choose from to suit their needs.”
Ford does not want to commit itself to the all-electric car in Europe but wants to offer all stages of electrification – from the 48-volt mild hybrid in the Puma, through the full hybrid in the Mondeo Tournament, and the plug-in hybrid in the seven-seater Explorer to the battery-electric high-performance SUV announced for 2020. “There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution – every customer’s circumstances and travel needs are different,” emphasises Jörg Beyer, Executive Director Product Development at Ford Europe. “Our strategy is to pair the right electrified powertrain option to the right vehicle, helping our customers make their electrified vehicle experience easy and enjoyable.”
To make charging easier for customers who choose a PHEV or one of the upcoming BEVs, Ford has announced its intention to work with six European utilities. The cooperation is intended to provide customers with low green power tariffs and a “convenient charging infrastructure”, i.e. wall boxes. Besides, an app developed jointly with NewMotion will facilitate the search for charging points and payment. The app will comprise more than 118,000 charging points in 30 countries, including Ionity’s HPC network, where Ford is a founding member.
The only electric car that Ford brought to the IAA is not to be found in the main booth in Hall 8, but on the outside area in front of it. In an “electric car acceleration simulator”, interested parties will be able to experience the enormous acceleration of an electric car from a standing position on their bodies. The vehicle: a Ford Fiesta prepared for the upcoming electric rallycross world championship.
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