With global demand for EVs failing to reach expected levels of growth over the past few months, Ford is currently focused on developing a new, low-cost EV platform set to underpin a variety of future models. The automaker has stated that the first will be a crossover set to launch with a price tag of around $30k, but in Europe, rumors of the return of small cars to The Blue Oval’s lineup have also perpetuated as of late. Turns out, that could include the addition of a Ford Fiesta EV.
According to Autocar, the under-development low-cost Ford EV platform – which has been in the works for over two years now – could underpin a Ford Fiesta EV set to launch in 2026, and perhaps, even a Focus EV and the next-generation Puma Gen-E as well. In a recent interview, Marin Gjaja, chief operating officer of Ford’s Model E division, touched on the topic of bringing affordable vehicles back to the automaker’s lineup in general, making it seemingly more possible that a Ford Fiesta EV and perhaps a Focus counterpart could resurrect the former, discontinued model, as well as the soon-to-be-discontinued latter vehicle.
“We are spending a decent amount of time at the corporate level talking about affordability,” Gjaja said. “We know we need to do it and it’s a muscle we need to build up over time. If you look at our lineup globally, at this point we don’t really have much in the affordable segment. The key for us is to be affordable, differentiated, and profitable. For too long we stayed in the affordable segment, either at break-even or losing money.”
“There’s no question that if we’re going to be a true mass brand, we want people to graduate to a vehicle like Explorer, but where do you start them? That’s what we’re doing in the U.S. with an affordable platform, and there’s no reason why that platform wouldn’t be able to create products for Europe as well.”
While the possibility of a Ford Fiesta EV remains uncertain, other FoMoCo execs have stressed the need to create more affordable vehicles as of late, too – potentially even marking the return of small cars. In fact, Ford CEO Jim Farley recently stated that consumers should “embrace” those types of vehicles, and Martin Sander, outgoing general manager of Ford Model e Europe, also previously said that the automaker could bring small cars back to its European lineup, even after discontinuing both the ICE Fiesta and Focus.
We’ll have more on the Fiesta soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Fiesta news and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
It may be a small domestic electric car, but it is way better than any of the Chinese small EVs! Go, Ford! I may buy one for myself as my second car.
Yes , we do, but we don’t need trump!
Maybe those as hybrids or PHEV. As EVs , no thank you.
Hell yeah
Make an RS version, and I may finally have a reason to trade in my Focus RS.
I’m about to quit this e-mail. These stupid pop ups. You can’t even read the information. Such an obnoxious interruption.
Feeling governmental pressure from all sides and no doubt some woke DEI incumbents, Ford made the ridiculously short sighted decision to axe their terrific sedan line….completely! The European range having been decimated it left the door wide open for their competitors to quickly fill the hole they created. I travel to UK quite often and always requested a Ford rental as they were always a pleasure to drive with excellent handling and good ergonomics. Such a sad loss really…..Ford was at one time not too long ago the dominant brand in the UK….the saying ..” if you build it they will come” is so very true for the European market….get it done
What does “DEI” have to do with anything? Just making things up now because it fits your racist narrative?
The decision to axe small cars had nothing to do with governmental pressure, and everything to do with maximizing their bottom line for shareholders in the short term by focusing on big SUVs and Trucks. The political left wants more small cars, not less.
The guilty parties behind that decision are the incumbents in the C-suite. Just another greedy Wall Street cash grab putting short term profits ahead of long term growth.