Ford of Europe adds Kuga, Explorer plug-in hybrids in electrification push

The new-generation Kuga compact SUV will be offered with a plug-in version along with full hybrid, mild hybrid, gasoline and diesel versions, Ford said on Tuesday at an event here, Automotive News reads.

Ford said it will import the U.S.-built Explorer seven-seat large SUV into Europe but it will be sold only with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain which will not be available in the U.S.

The Explorer will be the flagship of Ford’s European SUV range, the company’s Europe head of sales and marketing, Roelant de Waard, said at the event.

The SUV will not have a right-hand-drive version, meaning it will not be sold in the UK, Ford’s biggest European market.

The Explorer plug-in hybrid will cost around 70,000 euros in Europe, a company source said. Ford did not release pricing. A key competitor will be an upcoming plug-in hybrid version of the Volkswagen Touareg.

The plug-in Kuga and Explorer will go on sale late this year in Europe, along with a plug-in hybrid Tourneo Custom eight-seat passenger minivan.

The Kuga plug-in hybrid will have a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine supplemented by an electric motor to produce 222hp.  Its electric-only range will be more than 50 km (31 miles), Ford said. CO2 emissions when the electric mode is used will be as low as 29 grams per km, the automaker said.

The Kuga is called the Escape in the U.S.

The Explorer plug-in hybrid will have a 3.0-liter, V-6 gasoline engine and electric motor for a combined 444 hp. Its electric only range will be 40 km. CO2 emissions will be 78g/km, Ford said.