Electrification ‘inevitable’ for Ford hot hatches

Electricity could be the saviour of the pocket rocket.

Hot hatches are set to adopt electrification in the hunt for more performance and lower carbon dioxide emissions.

Ford has conceded its next generation of hot hatches – including the Focus ST that has just gone on sale – will likely use electric motors and batteries in response to tightening emissions standards that force cars to emit less CO2.

Responding to a question from EV Central about the prospect of future hot hatches using some form of electrification, the head of Europe’s Ford Performance division, Stefan Muenzinger, suggested such a move was unavoidable.

“The answer is somewhat yes,” Muenzinger said in response to the question about whether future hot hatches would use some form of electrification.

“It’s tough to do a fully conventional hot hatch in that segment in Europe,” he said, adding that “all sorts of studies are ongoing”.

Highlighting the “significant CO2 constraints” Muenzinger said it “puts tremendous pressure on the OEMs (manufacturers) … to deliver on those targets”.

Ford was one manufacturer that has already heavily studied the usefulness of electric motors in performance cars.

As well as a Tesla-fighting all-electric SUV borrowing genes from the Mustang – it’s called the Mach-E and includes the famous Mustang badge – Ford explored using a plug-in hybrid system for a flagship version of the Focus.

While the Focus RS program has been put on ice, you can all but guarantee that learnings from that car will be utilised in future fast Fords.

Ford had reportedly planned to use a more powerful version of the 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo to power the front wheels while an electric motor would drive the rear wheels.

Such a system shows the potential of hybrid systems to offer potential weight savings and performance gains as car makers leverage the technology.

Ford is not alone in exploring a hybrid system for a hot hatch.

As the world’s most prolific manufacturer of hybrid vehicles Toyota has also explored the potential for hybrid propulsion in its performance models.

Speaking at the 2018 launch of the latest Corolla hatch, chief engineer Yasushi Ueda said he was considering options for a performance variant.

He said a petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain option for a Corolla hot hatch “sounds very good to me”.

“I have to consider that, I have to investigate, research…”

However, it appears Toyota is working on at least two higher-performance Corollas, one of which is expected to borrow the 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo engine from the upcoming GR Yaris.

A more powerful Corolla hybrid with some sporty additions will also likely flesh out the range.

More recently Toyota has been dropping hints of an upcoming Corolla hot hatch.

Toyota counterparts in America recently acknowledged that while the US would not get the smaller GR Yaris “perhaps it’s time the US got a hot hatch to call its own”.

And in March Toyota Australia applied to trademark the GR Corolla name.