Currently reading: Ford trademarks Energi name for electrified Kuga, Transit and Explorer

Ford revealed its electrification plans in January, which include hybrid versions of some of its most popular models; these have now been suggested in trademark filings

The Ford Kuga, Explorer and Ford Transit will receive electrified variants badged as Energi in 2020, according to a recent trademark filing.

In January, Ford CEO Mark Fields announced the advent of F-150, Ford Mustang, Transit hybrids and an all-electric SUV. However, given the three new trademarks’ European origins, these are likely to be Europe’s end of Ford’s electrification push, while the Mustang will come later.

A C-Max Energi hybrid was previously sold in Europe, so the latest models’ addition to the Energi range suggests at least a hybrid from each. Fields’ announcement of an electric small SUV along with the trademark suggests that a standalone model will sit alongside the Kuga, the Energi variant of which will be a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

A Ford Mustang hybrid, as well as Transit and F-150 hybrids will arrive by 2020, as will an all-electric small SUV, in the brand’s renewed electric vehicle push.

The models will be built at Ford’s Flat Rock assembly plant in Michigan, US, and is the main thrust of Ford’s $4.5 billion (around £3.7bn) investment in electrified powertrains, which has now been extended by $700 million (around £573m). Two new hybrid police cars and a hybrid autonomous car also feature in the plans.

The facelifted Mustang has now officially been revealed - read more here

Ford has not yet disclosed which engines the hybrid vehicles will be powered by, but the Mustang will offer “V8 power and even more low-end torque”, suggesting a smaller engine – perhaps the 2.3-litre Ecoboost petrol - will be bolstered by electric power.

The Mustang hybrid will go on sale in other markets, including the UK, after its introduction in 2020. The PHEV Transit will go on sale in Europe in 2019.

Ford’s first all-electric SUV, which “will be nothing like anything we build today, and will be built in Flat Rock”, according to Ford CEO Mark Fields, and will have a range of at least 300 miles. The SUV will be available in Europe, North America and Asia.

Ford is also developing a wireless charging method, also announced at the press conference in January. 

Read about the CES-bound autonomous Ford Fusion hybrid here

“We at Ford plan to be a leader in electrification, autonomy and also connectivity,” said Fields.

The other prong of Ford’s electrification strategy is the hybrid, fully autonomous car to be used for mobility schemes. The car will not have a steering wheel or pedals, reflecting the level of control given to the car. This car, based on a Ford Fusion (Mondeo in Europe), is was shown at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in prototype form. 

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Roadster 10 May 2017

Ford always lagging behind with power trains

Ford always seem to be lagging behind many other companies when it comes to developing new power trains and introducing cutting edge stuff, whether it be petrol, diesel, hybrid or fully electric. And it's not as if what they do produce is what you can call brilliant or leads the field either, with almost every power train being average at best.
xxxx 10 May 2017

What have they been doing

Ahhh heard it before press release from 2015 from CEO Mark Fields "Ford announced its largest five-year investment ever in electrified vehicles, with a pledge to spend $4.5 billion and introduce 13 new models by 2020" YES 13 vehicles now down to 4 and 3 of them are Hybrids. So 1 EV in a minimum of 3 years time.
Wonder what Ford's next fake news will be
DdWorks 4 January 2017

Electrifying and hybridising

Electrifying and hybridising the Mustang?

No Way! That will be sullying the original pony car with artificial power and also there may be a tiny number of buyers (or more for SoCal) considering a hybrid Mustang.

I say... lightening up the Mustang with lighter alloys such as aluminium or carbon fibre. Costly? Then mass manufacture it! How? Introduce the lighter materials range-wide from the Fiesta to the GT.