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Report: Dedicated Ford Hybrid Expected by 2018

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dedicated Ford hybrid

The 2014 C-MAX Hybrid is one of Ford’s current hybrid offerings in North America

The Toyota Prius continues to stand alone atop the hybrid heap, but if a report from Reuters is true, its 17-year-and-counting reign may be facing a serious threat from Ford in 2018. According to two unnamed sources, there are plans for a dedicated Ford hybrid to be launched in the second half of 2018 that will be geared toward unseating the Prius and making a new model the first name in hybrids in more than two decades.

Ford, of course, already offers a hybrid version of their Fusion, as well as the C-Max Hybrid/Energi PHEV, but the as-yet-unnamed/unconfirmed dedicated Ford hybrid would likely follow the Prius in that it will be an entirely unique model with more than one body style. What those body-types will be remains to be seen (probably a small sedan, small hatch, slightly larger hatch, and something approaching a wagon if we had to guess), but it’s a fair bet that there will be a plug-in model included in the line.

It’s said that the new hybrid will be built at Ford’s Wayne assembly plant and will have an annual output of about 120,000. Clearly, Ford is not planning on manufacturing a niche product; they want to be the world’s go-to hybrid manufacturer.

The vehicle, currently known only by the internal code C240, will be built on the C2 global architecture that will underpin the Focus and Escape. Ford spokesman Chris Preuss told Reuters that the company doesn’t comment on speculation about future products, because of course they don’t.

Source: Reuters