Ford Australia kills electric Puma plan, citing "market dynamics"

Ford has dropped the axe on model after model in its Australian line-up, and today it has killed another before it even had a chance at life: the newly revealed Puma Gen-E.

Snuck into a press release announcing plans to introduce the Transit Custom, the small electric SUV's aborted arrival is described as "part of a broader portfolio decision that also includes the company ceasing plans to introduce the fully-electric Puma Gen-E".

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Ford Australia marketing boss Ambrose Henderson said: “Since we announced that the Puma Gen-E would join the Ford Australia line-up in early 2023, the EV market, in particular for small SUVs, has changed significantly."

“There are many factors that influence whether a vehicle’s business case stacks up – such as economic trends, material costs, consumer incentives and global supply chain – and after weighing these up, we took the call that we were better to focus our electrified line-up on other models.”

The shape of Australia's EV market hasn't slowed the likes of Hyundai and Kia in charging towards electric, or the flood of affordable Chinese EVs, but Ford is far from alone among 'legacy' brands in hesitating on EVs – thanks partly to a generally stunted electrification plan among the Japanese brands, and a desperate rush to avoid far heftier emissions penalties in Europe.

Indeed, even in Europe, Ford's broad exit from small cars and its near stall on EVs has seen its market share fall to around three percent in that region.

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About the Ford Puma Gen-E

The Puma Gen-E was announced back in 2022, as part of a program to launch seven new EVs in Europe by 2024.

On the passenger side, the other models in that plan include the VW-based Explorer, the refreshed Mustang Mach-E and the polarising new Escort.

With the petrol-powered Puma removed from the Australian line-up earlier this year – after the axing of the Fiesta and Focus – the Puma Gen-E was to be Ford's sole small offering here.

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Puma Gen-E specs: The basics

• 124kW and 290Nm front-mounted electric motor, comparable to the Puma ST’s 125kW
• 43 kWh battery with WLTP range of 376 km; 35 km more range than the Peugeot e-2008 despite a smaller battery
• Efficiency rated at 13.1 kWh/100 km
• Supports 100 kW DC fast charging; 80% charge in 22 minutes
• 0-100 km/h in 8.0 seconds; top speed electronically limited to 160 km/h
• Huge 574-litre boot and 43-litre space under the bonnet

What's left?

The decision to leave the Puma Gen-E out means Ford Australia's line-up into the future will be almost exclusively focused on commercial vehicles, but it isn't yet 'The Ranger Company' as commentators like to say.

Even still, you won't find a compact or small passenger vehicle in the range.

Ford's passenger-oriented models still include the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV (612 sales year-to-date), the new-generation Mustang muscle car, the van-based Tourneo people mover and the hugely popular Everest SUV – although the Ranger, thanks to tax incentives, remains popular as a 'family' vehicle.

The Mustang Mach-E will be Ford's only passenger-focused, pure-electric offering for the near future – leaving the Blue Oval among a dwindling number of brands with very little to say about a roadmap to EVs.

Overall EV sales in Australia have fallen in the past year, from 71,800 by the end of October 2023 to 66,082 for the same period in 2024. (November figures are due today.)

However, the dip has largely been in SUVs (37,036, down from 48,260), with electric 'passenger' sales growing from 23,359 to 28,731 by the end of October 2024.

Petrol and diesel sales have fallen, but hybrid is up – thanks in large part to Toyota's focus on hybrid models – and Ford is clearly betting that the growing PHEV segment is its best chance to meet a New Vehicle Emissions Scheme that will be weaker than many had hoped – but still impactful enough to hurt legacy brands in Australia's relatively small market.

Ford's decision on the Puma is sure to be welcomed by other brands, with options like the Hyundai Kona Electric and BYD Atto 3, along with the incoming Kia EV3 and MG ES5 (ZS EV replacement) all available as clear alternatives.