Ford Motor stated it would release a plug-in hybrid vehicle in China in 2018 and a totally electrical sport-utility car in the next five years, as it pursues electrifying most of its lineup on the world’s biggest automobile market by 2025.
This comes at a time when Beijing is encouraging automakers to offer more electric cars, setting out stringent fuel economy targets and supporting particular brand-new energy vehicle models, on their way to cut air pollution and promote technological development.
“The time is right for Ford to broaden our EV (electric vehicle) lineup and investments in China,” Ford CEO Mark Fields stated on Thursday.
The United States car manufacturer, which makes cars in China through a joint venture with Chongqing Changan, stated it plans for 70 percent of Ford brand automobiles sold in China to be standard hybrids, plug-in hybrids or complete battery electric by 2025.
Ford said it would release its very first hybrid that is locally made with Changan, the Mondeo Energi sedan, early 2018.
