Earlier today, Ford announced that it is delaying the launch of its three-row Ford Explorer EV for North America and the next-generation Ford F-150 EV as it will instead focus on smaller, cheaper all-electric models in the short term. However, FoMoCo also noted that it plans to expand its hybrid offerings in a big way, a decision spurred on by strong sales growth of those models – in fact, Ford hybrids posted a 42 percent increase in 2023 versus 2022. Even bigger news, however, is the fact that Ford also plans to offer hybrid powertrains across its entire Ford Blue lineup in North America, the automaker has announced.
Currently, there are a handful of models in the Ford lineup that don’t offer any sort of hybrid powertrain. That list includes the Ford Bronco Sport, Ford Explorer, Ford Expedition, Ford Bronco, Ford Ranger, and Ford Mustang. On the Lincoln side of the coin, the Lincoln Aviator and Lincoln Navigator aren’t current offered with a hybrid powertrain, either. The Ford Transit and Ford Super Duty are considered to be Ford Pro models, so this announcement likely doesn’t apply to either.
It is worth noting that the prior to their respective 2025 refreshes, the Explorer and Aviator were both available as hybrids, so it seems as if an updated version of both is in the works. Otherwise, rumors of a hybrid Bronco and Bronco Sport have swirled for years, and the refreshed 2025 Expedition and Navigator have long been expected to launch with a hybrid option as well. As for the Ranger, the all-new 2024 model added a plug-in hybrid powertrain, but only in Europe and Australia – for now, at least.
Even before EV demand began to wane, Ford has made it quite clear that it plans to focus on growing its hybrid offerings and sales, which it believes will remain strong well into the next decade, though now, it seems as if the automaker is keen on taking its electrified offerings to the proverbial next level.
We’ll have more on the future of Ford hybrids soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
Good to see that Ford is finally figuring what sells and what does not.
Will the auto industry collectively send Mr. Akio Toyoda a giant “We’re Sorry” card and acknowledge that he was the only coherent speaker on this subject for years?
It is galling he was pushed out for speaking the truth while the herd of sheep CEOs all still have their jobs while losing their respective companies billions and billions of dollars. And the bleeding isn’t over yet.
David, the modern hybrid was invented by a U.S. born engineer, Victor Wouk (look him up). He used a Buick for the prototype and even wrote a paper. Toyota read it and used that idea to create the Prius. But Ford followed up just a year later with the hybrid Escape. And Ford still makes much better hybrids than Toyota. So it should be Toyoda asking Ford for forgiveness! BTW, I drive a 2014 Fusion Hybrid and it is the best car I have ever driven in 55 years. After 10 years I get over 40 MPG every day and up to 54 on long trips.
I did not know about Victor Wouk thanks for the information. It was a 1972 Buick Skylark sedan Wouk converted to a hybrid.
I was referring to Mr. Toyoda’s consistent statements over the past 3-4 years that the world wasn’t/isn’t ready for full BEVs and that manufacturers should spend their resources on hybrids and alternative fuels instead. At the height of the EV bubble that went bust, Mr. Toyoda lost his job because he wouldn’t join the global elite groupthink. Now it is obvious that he was right and they were wrong. The other CEOs on the BEV bandwagon were wrong but they are getting tens of millions of dollars a year for losing billions of dollars a year. It pays to kiss the ring.
Interesting that the Ranger PHEV is not being made available to U.S. customers. I know I could use one. But can’t get one even though I have been a Ford customer for years.