Green cars are gaining popularity in the U.S. as emission norms are becoming stricter. And hybrids have gained fame in the U.S. where the green car concept has been promoted to all extent possible. The popularity of the Toyota (TM) Prius in the U.S. cannot be undermined and to date it's the leading hybrid vehicle in terms of hybrid sales in the U.S. To compete with Toyota, Ford (F) seems to have chalked a game plan as per which it is slated to bring a family of dedicated hybrid vehicles to the U.S. auto market by 2018. Let's dig deeper to find out why the company is determined to invest on hybrid technology, and what could be its ultimate game plan.
Hybrid sales on the rise
In 2013, Ford's vice president of U.S. marketing, John Felice, acknowledged the growth in hybrid sales while commenting, "Strong demand for our new cars, utilities, hybrids and trucks provided Ford with the largest share point gain of any full-line automaker in 2013."
The momentum has taken a quicker pace this year, and until August the company has sold 62,616 hybrids year to date and is poised to cross the 90,000 threshold mark by the end of the year. Hybrid sales have indeed gained a lot of traction in the past few years in the U.S. and as per a recent report of Navigation Research, U.S. and Japan serve as the largest hubs of hybrid sales for auto makers and these two geographies have the potential to reach combined sales of 2.1 million hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) by 2022.
Therefore, automotive honchos such as Ford and Toyota are obviously at an advantage in terms of hybrid sales in these two geographies.
Ford's master plan
Reports have confirmed that Ford is working on a new hybrid gasoline and electric car which is likely to hit the U.S. roads in late 2018. Taking a cue from Toyota, analysts feel that Ford might make the vehicle available in a variety of body styles as well as in different powertrain options to lure the attention of hybrid car buyers. The company has also shared information on launching a slightly costlier version that would be a plug-in model having the option of recharging from electrical outlets. Rumors are already in the air that the automotive honcho intends to make around 120,000 units of the hybrid vehicles every year after their formal launch.
Making hybrid vehicles is nothing new in Ford's workshop, but the news is that this would be the first time Ford will make a dedicated hybrid model. News sources have opined that Ford's HEV model might even challenge the Toyota's Prius which is ruling the U.S. roads, in fuel efficiency and range. Through the Ecoboost engines, Ford has been able to deliver great power to small engines and at the same time deliver superb fuel efficiency.
Kelly Blue Book senior analyst Karl Brauer explained that, though Prius holds a cost advantage being the cheapest hybrid available in the U.S., Ford does have an opportunity to lap the Prius in fuel economy. Brauer stated, "Ford has done more technological development in the last 10 years than Toyota. Basically, give me the Fiesta they have now with the 1-liter engine and I think they can get 60-plus mpg ratings, which Toyota needs to get with the next Prius. Ford has laid more groundwork for its next hybrid than Toyota."
Concluding thoughts
The second-largest U.S. car maker has ambitious plans of developing the new hybrid that could compete with the latest Toyota Prius. Though total specifications of the model are still under wrap, it can be assumed that that the new model will give a tough battle to Toyota's Prius in all possible senses. Let's check out what fuel economy the new model could provide, as it might be the game changer in the U.S. hybrid space and might finally push Ford to the top score among hybrid auto makers.
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