Ford Australia assessing EVs

Ford has committed to launching 40 hybrid and electric vehicles by 2022, but its Australian division is maintaining only a watching brief in the space here.

Having conceded the plug-in hybrid Mondeo won’t be coming to Australia, Ford says it has other models it would prefer to import.

But it won’t name them, make any commitment on a timeline for launch or even hint if the forthcoming Mustang hybrid or Mustang-inspired Mach E SUV are on the list.

“Right now we are being a little patient in figuring out what we want to do,” confirmed Ford Australia president Kay Hart.

“We are looking at all the different options we have, obviously what is available in right-hand drive for the market.

“I don’t know the [right-hand drive] number. I don’t know the percentage, I don’t know if it’s a lot or a little.

“But obviously the key right-hand drive markets when it comes to electrification are in Europe. The UK is a big one.”

Ford’s attitude is in direct contrast to Hyundai, which launched the three-model IONIQ range into Australia last month, including the pure EV ‘Electric’ version.

The Korean manufacturer will follow up with the Kona SUV by April but says it will then pause its electrified expansion until the federal government’s stance on emissions policy and green vehicle support is clearer.

Hart, who previously worked for Team Edison – Ford’s dedicated global EV organisation -- is not prepared to make the same sort of bold statement to explain Ford’s reticence to commit.

“There is a definite correlation between incentivising a customer and getting in one for the first time,” she conceded.

But she said there had been no communication from Ford to government on the matter. Instead, she said the Blue Oval continued to assess market conditions.

“Currently the [EV] volume is extremely small here in Australia and so obviously you look at that, you look at adoption rates, you look at when you think the peak will happen,” she said.

“It involves a lot of infrastructure in home charging, infrastructure in public charging, bringing the vehicles and what is required of them. There is a lot of investment required of OEMs, levels of government and cities.

“We continue to assess that even if right now we don’t have an electric vehicle offering. We believe, like in most markets, people will adopt EVs and I believe they will become a lot more confident in buying an EV when they know they have the infrastructure in-place to support it.

“When that happens there will be a point of when that makes sense from both a confidence standpoint and a financial standpoint.”