The Ford Puma Gen-E was just unveiled in Europe as an approachable subcompact electric vehicle, building on the success of the gasoline-powered Puma in the region. The Puma Gen-E seemed primed to return the Puma nameplate to the Australian market after it was discontinued earlier this year, but Ford Australia has officially killed off any plans to bring the Puma Gen-E Down Under.
A report from CarExpert details the decision. Initially, the Ford Puma Gen-E was slated for an Australian launch in late 2024 as The Blue Oval migrates toward an electric-only lineup. However, waning demand for EVs in Australia prompted Ford to reconsider its plans.
“Since we announced that the Puma Gen-E would join the Ford Australia lineup in early 2023, the EV market, in particular for small SUVs, has changed significantly,” said Ford Australia marketing boss, Ambrose Henderson, in a press release.
He added, “There are many factors that influence whether a vehicle’s business case stacks up – such as economic trends, material costs, consumer incentives and global supply chain – and after weighing these up, we took the call that we were better to focus our electrified lineup on other models.”
The decision to axe the Ford Puma Gen-E in Australia leaves The Blue Oval without any models smaller than the Ford Everest SUV and the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Demand for the Mustang Mach-E hasn’t been so hot, but to make it more attractive to potential buyers, Ford is offering significant incentives to drum up interest in the electric crossover. Another electric model, the Ford E-Transit, was also treated to significant price cuts, aimed at moving more units of the electric van.
“Ford Australia remains fully committed to offering low- or zero-emissions vehicles to Australians, particularly in the commercial sector,” Henderson said. “While much focus has been put on electrifying vehicles favored by private buyers, it’s also vital that Australia’s businesses are not left behind in the electric transition.”
Ford Australia also decided against continuing to offer the Ford Escape to Oceania after 2023.
No Comments yet