Ford will launch an electrified 48-volt version of the new Focus in 2020

At the start of the next decade, Ford will launch on the European market the first 48-volt electric version on the hatchback bodywork of the new Focus and combined with the three-cylinder 1.0-litre Ecoboost powertrain.

This will be a version aimed at high-volume markets, since for many customers this new powertrain variant will be the one they choose, as it will offer CO₂ emissions clearly below 100 g/km, which will spare its buyers from paying the registration tax, provided the government does not first decide to change the current taxation that applies to cars in Spain and switch either the rates or the basis, taxing the use of the car rather than its ownership as is currently the case.

The news was made public on the occasion of the presentation of the new model, which has been taking place these days in London. Ford has not disclosed any data on the performance of the electrified powertrain, which will use a starter-generator with a lithium-ion battery coupled to the combustion engine by a chain or belt. A mild hybridisation scheme, which an increasing number of manufacturers are turning to in their models in order to achieve attractive reductions in both consumption and emissions, with development costs that are genuinely low and affordable.

For the time being, Ford has not provided any further information on the matter beyond the comments made by Jim Farley, Executive Vice President of Ford and head of Global Markets at the oval-badged company since last June.

“The 48-volt hybrid technology is of great importance to us, a move that can bring in high sales volumes, something that is not very common in this type of model, which has to compete against strong competition,” said Farley, who was Ford Europe director from 2015 to 2017, during the presentation of the new Focus range held recently in London.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackFord Focus19 versions · from 31,034 €