Ford Focus could go electric in next generation

Ford's Focus hatchback could be the next Blue Oval model to be electrified, with reports from the UK suggesting the next-gen car will gain an electric variant.

According to an interview with Autocar, Ford's European design boss, Murat Gueler, suggested it's not out of the question for an electric Focus to become a part of the marque's line-up.

“Everybody’s launching electric cars and we will launch a few in the future,” said Gueler when asked about an electric Focus.

“Definitely, we’re looking at everything – proportions, architectures… we’re really busy designing all the next-generation cars. There’s a lot of work going on.”

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The 2017 Ford Focus Electric

It wouldn't be the first time Ford has produced a fully-electric version of its popular hatchback, as its third-generation Focus spawned an electric variant between 2011 to 2018 – powered by a 107kW electric motor and 23 or 33.5kWh battery pack. However, annual sales in the United States never exceeded 2000 units.

Given Ford is currently in a partnership with Volkswagen to utilise the German manufacturer's MEB electric architecture for its European vehicles, an all-electric Focus could ride on a dedicated platform and share its underpinnings with VW's ID.3.

Despite the Blue Oval developing an affinity for retaining its popular nameplates – think Mustang, Bronco, F-150 – the Focus name could disappear entirely if a totally new model is introduced, similar to when the Escort was phased out in favour of its successor in the 1990s.

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While Ford of Europe has committed to selling a completely electrified line-up from 2028, Ford Australia has been slow off the mark to adopt EVs – announcing the arrival of the E-Transit as its first dedicated EV last month.

Locally we can expect to see five electrified Ford models launch by 2025, although Ford Australia wouldn't confirm if these would be fully-electric, hybrids or variants of existing cars.

Ford recently revealed the face-lifted Focus ST alongside the announcement it would stop bringing non-ST variants to Australia – only offering SUVs, commercial vehicles, and performance models in the Focus ST, Fiesta ST, and Mustang.