After saying goodbye to the Fiesta last July, Ford is preparing to remove three other thermal models from its catalog, including the famous Ford Kuga, but not only. The manufacturer now wants to focus on electric cars in order to be ready for 2035.
Like all manufacturers, Ford will have to comply with the rules of the European Union. Which means that from 2035, the American firm will no longer have the right to sell any new thermal car in the country. Which does not seem to be a problem, since the latter has already planned to become 100% electric from 2030, as its website also reminds us.
Three less models
For this, the firm announced last year the creation ofa new division called Model E, entirely dedicated to the development of electric models. Which is reminiscent of Renault’s strategy with its Ampère brand and which was praised by Elon Musk. And this even if the American brand knows that it will initially lose a lot of money.
A necessary bad patch, which will then allow it to achieve profitability next year. But to develop its zero-emission (exhaust) range, Ford will have to make choices. And this will involve the disappearance of certain star models. We remember that at the end of last year, the manufacturer announced the retirement of its Fiesta, after more than 47 years of career.
Ford Escape
So, it was in July that the city car left the factory for the very last time, while a next electric generation could see the light of day. But it’s not the only model that will fall by the wayside, as announced by the Automotive News site. Indeed, the latter explains that Ford will also sign the end of three other cars, namely the Transit Connect, the Escape and the Edge. The latter two have not been sold in Europe for several years.
The retirement of these cars is obviously explained by the fact that Ford wants to get rid of its thermal models, but not only. Because this will also allow it to save space in its factories, as is the case with that of Cologne. The production line of the Fiesta now welcomes the new Explorer that we had been able to meet in preview.
new arrivals
While the manufacturer is working with Volkswagen, which notably provides it with its MEB platform, Ford is also working on the development of its in-house technical base. The latter would be used by at least two models, namely a large pickup, which would support the F-150 Lightning and compete with the Tesla Cybertruck, as well as a seven-seater SUV. But for now, we still know very little about them.
What is certain is that the brand is counting on these two models to further boost its sales, especially in the United States. Currently, the brand offers only one electric model in Europe, namely the Mustang Mach-E, while the launch of the Explorer has been slightly postponed. But the firm recently lifted the veil on its e-Tourneo Courier, which rivals the Citroën e-Berlingo and other Renault Kangoo E-Tech.
Ford Transit Connect
The manufacturer with the blue oval is also betting a lot on its Puma, which will be available in a new 100% electric version expected for 2025. If we still know very little about it, this variant should inherit the motorization of the electric MPV and will notably offer a small battery. Ford is indeed counting on this type of solution to offer cheaper cars, to the detriment of autonomy.
Which is not really a problem, while the electric SUV will undoubtedly be compatible with fast charging, like the e-Tourneo which can be filled from 10 to 80% in 35 minutes. The automaker plans to sell no less than 600,000 electric cars worldwide this year and also has plans to launch a sub-$25,000 model to rival the Renault 5 E-tech, which could cost more than expected. .
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