Ford’s EV triple treat to include two crossovers and electric Puma compact SUV
Ford has announced three new electric crossovers and SUVs planned to go into production over the next two years.
One of the new EVs is an electric version of the Puma compact SUV that is already on sale in Australia and the other two are yet-to-be-named electric crossovers.
Each of the crossovers – which Ford describe as a “medium-size crossover” and a “sport crossover” – will utilise the Volkswagen-developed MEB architecture that underpins the Volkswagen ID.4, Skoda Enyaq, Cupra Born and Audi Q4 e-Tron, among others.
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The platform sharing arrangement is an extension of the growing relationship between the two automotive giants which since it was announced in 2018 has focused on commercial vehicles.
In making the announcement, Ford released images of the planned lineup showing front-on views of the planned EV family for Europe.
Some of the vehicles are already on sale: the Mustang Mach-E, for example, as well as the E-Transit that is due in Australia in mid-2022.
The three most interesting newly-announced models are the Puma EV and two planned new electric crossovers.
“These new Ford electric vehicles signal what is nothing less than the total transformation of our brand in Europe – a new generation of zero-emission vehicles, optimised for a connected world, offering our customers truly outstanding user experiences,” said Stuart Rowley, chair, Ford of Europe.
The new Puma EV – which will be built in the same Romanian factory as the ICE Puma and is expected to share its architecture – will go into production in 2024.
Unsurprisingly, the images gave away few clues of the upcoming new EVs, other than their rough sizes compared with others in the lineup, as well as the LED light signatures up front.
While Ford is yet to reveal details of the new models, it appears the “medium-size crossover” will be about the size of the Volkswagen ID.4 – a car Volkswagen Australia desperately wants but is being forced to wait for due to a lack of local CO2 emissions standards and solid demand in markets that do have emissions standards. Ford says the crossover will have an EV range of 500km and that its name will be revealed later in 2022 before production commences in 2023.
The medium-size crossover and sport crossover look similar in size but have different light treatments.
There’s a chance the sport crossover could simply be a coupe-inspired version of the medium-size crossover, in the same way the Volkswagen ID.5 is a sleeker version of the ID.4 and the Skoda Enyaq Coupe is a sleeker version of the regular Enyaq. Again, few details were bowled up.
Ford says the sport crossover will begin production in 2024 at the same Cologne factory that will manufacture the medium-size crossover (it’s currently producing the Fiesta small hatch).
Ford’s global president and CEO Jim Farley says the new models are a result of the recent formation of the “Ford Model e division”, which is designed to “accelerate innovation and delivery of breakthrough electric vehicles at scale, and develop software and connected vehicle technologies and services for all of Ford”.
“This is why we have created Ford Model e – allowing us to move at the speed of a start-up to build electric vehicles that delight and offer connected services unique to Ford and that are built with Ford-grade engineering and safety,” says Farley.
While the new EV models are aimed at the European market, they look set to have appeal to the Australian market.
Mid-sized SUVs are the sweet spot of the market and a raft of planned medium electric SUVs are planned in coming years.
Ford Australia has plans for five electrified models – both hybrid and battery electric – by the end of 2024. They include the Escape PHEV and E-Transit and will likely include the Mustang Mach-E once production catches pace with global demand.
