In a sign of the times, the Ford Fiesta is set to go electric - at least a little bit. Ford yesterday announced plans to launch 'electrified' versions of both the Fiesta and the Focus.
They will not be fully electric, but 'mild hybrid' cars which will cut fuel consumption but boost power, the manufacturer says.
An electric motor will help to power the vehicle alongside a petrol combustion engine. A generator will recoup energy usually lost in breaking to charge a battery.
This then feeds back into a motor to help power the car.
But unlike with a true hybrid car - such as a Toyota Prius - the battery on the Ford Fiesta and Focus will not be able to power the engine on its own, even for short distances. This is why it has been described as a 'mild hybrid'.
This means it is unlikely to impress environmental campaigners who have called petrol and diesel cars to be phased out as quickly as possible.
A succession of car makers have announced plans to switch all their cars to either hybrid or fully electric engines, as they come under pressure to slash emissions.
Currently the Ford Mondeo is the only one of his models to have a hybrid option.
Earlier this year Ford announced plans to offer hybrid or electric versions of its entire range.
The new Fiesta and Focus EcoBoost Hybrid will be launched next year. More details will be announced at an event in Amsterdam next week.
But it said the new versions the Fiesta and Focus will be more powerful than the petrol models and as fun to drive.
The firm said it aimed to 'bring the benefits of electrification to a greater number of consumers'.
Unfortunately the only Ford Fiesta set to hit New Zealand is the hot hatch ST model. However, there is a chance that the hybridised Focus could join our line-up down the line.
- Daily Mail