Ford said it will double production of the MKZ Hybrid sedan for the 2014 model year, with forty percent dedicated to building the hybrid variant, according to Raj Nair, Ford’s vice president of global product development. The current 2013 MKZ Hybrid accounted for 20 percent of total MKZ production.
Ford’s decision to double production is due to increased demand for hybrid vehicles. According to statistics from the Electric Drive Transportation Administration, automakers have sold 257,635 hybrids in the first six months of this year, up 18.3 percent compared to the same period in 2013.
Ford has profited the most from the sales increase, with the automaker’s share of the U.S. electrified vehicle market being nearly 16 percent, up 12 percent compared to last year. Ford currently sells three hybrids: the C-Max, Fusion and Lincoln MKZ.
Ford’s sales growth of electrified vehicles has supported the carmaker’s nearly 1 percent increase in overall U.S. market share, the company said in a statement.
The 2014 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid will go on sale later this year and is expected to retain the same price as the regular MKZ. The 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid has the same base price as the non-hybrid MKZ: $35,925 (€27,475). Ford has sold 3,090 MKZ Hybrids this year.
By Dan Mihalascu
Story References: Detroit News
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