Official: Electrified Ford Mustang, F-150 & Transit Set For Launch By 2020 Next To Fully Electric SUV

Ford officially confirmed today details on seven out of the 13 global electrified models scheduled for launch in the next five years, including the Mustang Hybrid, the F-150 Hybrid and the Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid.

Next to the new electrified versions of existing models, Ford will also launch a fully electric SUV with an expected range of ‘at least 300 miles’ for customers globally.

Ford said that the all-electric SUV will be produced at the Flat Rock plant and sold in North America, Europe and Asia, without revealing further details.

Perhaps the most anticipated model in Ford’s major EV push will be the hybrid version of the Mustang; the company says that the electrified version will offer ‘V8 power and even more low-end torque’. The official debut is set for 2020, with the car to be initially available only in North America.

As for the F-150 Hybrid, Ford plans for it to enter the North America and Middle East markets by 2020. The company says that the final production version will offer powerful towing and payload capacity, while its electrified powertrain will allow it to operate as a mobile generator.

The Transit Custom is also destined to get a plug-in hybrid variant by 2019 in Europe, planning to offer reduced operating costs, even in the heaviest of traffic jams. Ford says that they are going to offer two new pursuit-rated hybrid police vehicles.

Ford’s global range of utility models will become the brand’s first hybrid vehicles to combine an EcoBoost petrol engine with electric power, which will further improve their fuel economy and overall performance. The company’s plan includes a high-volume, autonomous vehicle as well, set to debut in 2021 in North America, designed for ride-hailing or ride-sharing.

The Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan is going to be expanded as part of a $700million investment, in order to become eligible for the production of high-tech autonomous and electric vehicles. The expansion will also create 700 direct new jobs.

This move is just a part of Ford’s $4.5billion investment in electrified vehicles, which aims to turn the whole brand into an ‘auto and mobility’ company. “As more and more consumers around the world become interested in electrified vehicles, Ford is committed to being a leader in providing consumers with a broad range of electrified vehicles, services and solutions that make people’s lives better,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO. “Our investments and expanding lineup reflect our view that global offerings of electrified vehicles will exceed gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 15 years.”

Ford also said it’s cancelling plans for a new plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico and that the next-generation Focus will be produced at the existing plant in Hermosillo, Mexico in order to improve the company’s profitability and to make way for two new products at the Michigan plants, safeguarding approximately 3,500 US jobs.

The company also continues their development work on wireless charging for electric vehicles. The goal is to make charging as easy as pulling into a parking spot and never forget to recharge.