Ford has acknowledged that, in an effort to increase its market share of electric vehicles following a decline in global EV sales in 2024, it is creating range-extending hybrids. Jim Farley, the CEO of the firm, stated that the company is working on SUV and pickup platforms for range-extender EVs (RExs), although he did not specify when these platforms will be available.
Similar to the Nissan Note that was undergoing testing in India and Maruti’s upcoming Fronx hybrid, REx vehicles essentially use series hybrid powertrains, with an electric motor driving the wheels and a petrol engine serving only as a generator to recharge the battery pack and extend the vehicle’s range.
Despite introducing the Explorer and Capri to the European market, Ford’s EV sales fell 9% globally in 2024 to 1,05,000 units, according to company data. Ford’s Model E division, which produces EVs, had a 35% drop in global revenue as a result of having to provide discounts in the US market, particularly for the F-150 Lightning pickup and the Mustang Mach-E SUV. The Model E division lost USD 5.08 billion (about Rs 44,410 crore) last year because it spent more money creating new models than it brought in.
Readmore: Ford Confirms Restart Of Manufacturing In India With Focus On Exports From India
Even though the Trump administration was likely to eliminate subsidies for EV sales and manufacturing in the US, Ford remained dedicated to its “skunkworks” initiative of creating a low-cost EV platform. For us, it is strategically significant. According to reports, Ford’s Chennai facility may produce EVs based on this low-cost platform for both Indian and international markets which is high in demand.
Although the Indian market has not been as severely affected by the decline in EV sales, a number of Indian manufacturers have declared plans to introduce hybrid vehicles or investigate the viability of doing so. Mahindra’s XUV 3XO hybrid is anticipated to debut in 2026, Kia is developing a three-row hybrid SUV to compete with the XUV700 and Safari, and Honda is thinking of launching the ZR-V hybrid in India. However, the only automakers in the nation currently considering range-extending EVs for India that are sustainable are Maruti Suzuki and, consequently, possibly Toyota.
