- Ford chief executive Jim Farley says the brand’s hybrid line-up will strengthen in 2025 and 2026
- The F-150 Hybrid rocks a powerful 3.5-liter Powerboost V6 with electrical assistance
- Ford believes offering different powertrain choices is essential
Interest in the hybrid Ford F-150 remains strong, with the carmaker revealing that 20-25% of all F-150s being built are now hybrids.
While recently speaking at Ford’s annual shareholders’ meeting, chief executive Jim Farley said the F-150 and Maverick have become key models of the brand’s hybrid strategy. In the first four months of 2024, Ford’s hybrid sales jumped 47%, and executives believe the F-150 could ultimately become the country’s best-selling hybrid.
Read: 2024 Ford F-150 Refresh Brings New Swinging Tailgate, Cheaper Hybrid And More
“Thanks to the company’s leadership in hybrids for more than 20 years, we’re really well-positioned,” Farley said. “Our hybrid lineup is going to get stronger and stronger in ’25 and ’26.”
Farley acknowledged the road to electrification has proven to be “a bumpy one” and noted that the carmaker must offer customers different powertrain choices.
“Our key strategy as a company is to give customers choice,” he said. “The adoption of EVs is a bit slower in the industry than we expected, namely the pricing power.”
The company’s increased interest in offering different powertrains echoes statements made by the head of Ford’s European passenger car business earlier this week. While Ford planned to go EV-only in Europe by 2030, sluggish demand for EVs across the continent means it could also start offering plug-in hybrid vehicles. Martin Sander said demand for EVs had not met the firm’s expectations, and the company had failed to meet its sales and growth targets.
Auto News says Ford has recently delayed approximately $12 billion in electric vehicle investments and admitted it misread consumer interest in higher-priced vehicles. Executive chair Bill Ford says the company is still “excited” about EVs despite this.
