Ford has ambitious plans for its global range of cars, adding hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of existing models, as well as all-new electric models that we’ll see here in the UK in the next few years, some of which could be tempting company car options.
These new cars are coming off the back of $700million-worth of investment in the company’s assembly plant in Michigan, USA, which will also be working on autonomous technology, not just electrification of Ford’s future models. It’s part of a wider $4.5billion-worth of investment in electrified vehicles.
Lots of new models, only a few for Europe
Ford says it will bring 13 new models to the market by 2020, some of which were announced at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
The big story for some is that a Mustang Hybrid will be added to the sports car range, using a combination of EcoBoost petrol and electric motor to provide more power and torque than the V8 model.
Available in North America to start with, it could filter out to other markets. There will also be a hybrid version of the popular F-150 pickup in North America and the Middle East.
For Europe, the big news is an all-new fully electric small SUV that will be capable of running for 300 miles on a single charge. It’ll be available by 2020 in North America, Europe and Asia.
Maybe it’ll be on the shortlist for your next company car, plus it could be more attractive to business users when proposed new company car tax bands come into force in 2020/21.
Also available in Europe will be a Transit Custom plug-in hybrid panel van – this will be available in 2019 and could be great for business users in need of a commercial vehicle. Read more about the Transit Custom plug-in hybrid panel van here.
New wireless charging technology
Just like wireless charging for your smartphone, Ford is developing wireless charging for its cars. The idea is that you simply pull into a parking space and your car is charged automatically without the need to plug it in.
It could be the thing that makes running a plug-in car much easier in urban areas, especially if you have a short commute where small amounts of charge are used at a time, according to Ford.
All-new autonomous model for car sharing
Does this mean the end of personal cars in urban areas? Could you share your journey to work with other people?
These are questions Ford might have the answer to if its all-new electric, autonomous vehicle is successful. By 2021, the Blue Oval will have a high-volume autonomous car available in North America exclusively for car-hailing and car sharing which could spell the end of driving to work yourself, and in your own car…
Check out the following for more company car content:
• Plug-in BMW 530e iPerformance charges in
• Government drafts 2020-21 company car tax bands
