Ford Motor Co plans to introduce a new hybrid petrol-electric car in late 2018 to compete against the Toyota Prius,
writes Trish Whelan.
The new hybrid will be built on Ford's new C2 global compact architecture, which also will underpin the next-generation Focus. Ford could at some time offer several different body styles of the new hybrid as Toyota does with its Prius. There would be different versions of the car's drivetrain including a more expensive plug-in model that can be recharged from an electrical outlet.
The new Ford hybrid is expected to arrive as a 2019 model, around 21 years after the original Prius went on sale in Japan. It's believed Toyota is planning to unveil its fourth-generation Prius late next year.
The Ford hybrid will be built at the company's assembly plant in Michigan.
