A CAR giant has pulled the plug on a seven-seater electric EV that was set to be launched next year, while another model has been postponed.
The manufacturer has scrapped plans to launch the new electric SUV that would have served as a large family motor.
Ford were lining up a three-row, seven-seater that was to rival cars like the Kia EV9 – and the move could cost the company a jaw-dropping $1.9 billion (£1.5bn).
The cancelled model was set to be a game-changer in the electric SUV market, but Ford have pulled the plug after realising it wouldn’t turn a profit within its first year.
With electric vehicle buyers becoming increasingly cost-conscious and a flood of new EVs set to hit the market over the next 12 months, the company decided the numbers just didn’t add up.
Ford is now pivoting its strategy, prioritising the development of hybrid three-row SUVs instead.
But that’s not the only bad news for Ford fans.
The highly-anticipated ‘T3’ electric pick-up, originally slated for release next year, has been pushed back to the second half of 2027.
The delay will allow Ford to rework the model with less expensive batteries, but it’s a bitter pill to swallow for those who were eagerly waiting for the new truck.
The firm plans to slash its annual spending on electric vehicles from 40 per cent of its total investment to just 30 per cent.
While the US-focused electric plans have hit a roadblock, Ford is revving up its efforts in Europe.
The company is shifting its focus towards more affordable electric SUVs, with successors to the beloved Fiesta and Focus expected around 2026 and 2027.
The electric Ford Puma, dubbed the Gen-E, is also set to arrive later this year.
In the midst of these delays, Ford has managed to keep excitement alive with the unveiling of the all-electric Capri.
The iconic car of the ’70s and ’80s has been reborn as a sleek electric SUV, and it’s already turning heads.
Premier League legend Eric Cantona hosted the official launch, where fans got their first glimpse of the Capri’s modern makeover.
While it’s packed with the latest tech, the new Capri still pays homage to its roots with fitted headlights, C-shaped windows, and those famous machined holes in the steering wheel.
Set to hit UK showrooms this November, the Capri will be available in the classic Daytona Yellow, with a 286 horsepower, rear-wheel drive version priced at around £48,000.
By Jacob Jaffa, Motors Reporter
The MkI Ford Capri turned the motoring world upside down when it was released in 1968.
Dubbed ‘the car you always promised yourself’ it was one of the first truly affordable sports cars, offering track-level performance at budget prices.
It has appeared on TV in shows like The Professionals and Only Fools and Horses and has also received rave reviews from the Top Gear trio.
Over a nearly 20-year production run, Ford Europe produced nearly 1.9 million of the beloved model, many of which were built in Merseyside at the firm’s Halewood plant.
The car was named after a sun-drenched Italian island and brought with it some of that Mediterranean charm, especially through its vibrant pastel paintwork.
Today, mint condition examples can be worth in the region of £40,000 and it remains one of the UK’s favourite classic cars, with numerous owners’ clubs dotted around the nation.
The original Capri was discontinued in 1986 and has remained a cult icon – a legacy the new version will, no doubt, be hoping to continue.
And if that’s not enough, Ford is also rolling out the all-new Explorer, a five-seat electric SUV that’s set to be the first of three “bold iconic electric vehicles” coming soon.
Starting at £39,875, the Explorer promises a maximum range of 239 miles from a 52kWh battery, with the top-spec version boasting 340hp and a 328-mile range.
With an upright tilting touchscreen that doubles as the door of a lockable safe, wireless phone chargers, and even massaging seats, the Explorer is packed with features.
It may be built on the bones of a Volkswagen ID4, but Ford’s engineers have worked their magic to make it feel like a true Ford – fun, responsive, and just a bit cheeky.
The Explorer is set to hit the market soon, bringing with it a new era of electric driving for Ford fans.
But with the delays and cancellations, only time will tell if Ford’s electric dreams can keep up with the competition.
Meanwhile, Ford lovers everywhere can now get their hands on Top Gear icon Jeremy Clarkson’s old Ford Escort.
He used the mallard green 1992 Cosworth as a test car for 12 months before it was given away in the first issue of Top Gear magazine in 1993.
The Ford Fiesta is the UK’s all-time best selling car and, despite being axed by the Blue Oval in June last year after a 47-year run, it remains a hot second-hand favourite with drivers.
Ford sold 4.8 million units in that near 50-year production run, and saw the model claim the title of the most popular car in the UK for 12 consecutive years between 2009 and 2020.
The Fiesta was developed in response to the 1973 oil crisis, which saw the price of fuel skyrocket and Brit motorists needing a more economically efficient car.
Since it was launched in 1976, more than 22 million Fiestas have been sold around the world. Of those, 4.8 million were in the UK.
Its final iteration, released in 2017, was the seventh generation Fiesta and notably larger, roomier, safer and more efficient.
A 2013 poll by The Sun found the Fiesta was the most popular car to have sex in, said The Sun.
