Kuga shares parts with the Escape (pictured), including the battery and engine.
Ford Motor Co F.N said on Tuesday it was moving production of its plug-in Escape sport utility vehicle to next year as it reviews its vehicles with the same engine and battery parts that were recalled in Europe. “We are moving full scale production of Escape PHEV to the 2021 model year. The first Escape PHEVs will be sold next year,” a company spokesman said in a statement.
The delay in the plug-in Escape’s debut comes amid soft U.S. demand for the small crossover. U.S. sales plunged almost 23 percent in the third quarter and are down 32 percent this year. The automaker said it recalled 20,500 Kuga PHEV vehicles in Europe last month and suspended their sale as it looks into potential concern with the high voltage battery, which in certain cases could result in a fire.
“Because we share components with Kuga PHEV, including battery cells, we are moving production to next year, while we work with the battery cell supplier to resolve the issue affecting Kuga PHEV in Europe,” a company spokesman in Europe said.
Source – autoexpress.co.uk/
Plug-in hybrids are a key part of Ford’s strategy to spend $11.5 billion to electrify its lineup as it transitions to battery-powered vehicles. The automaker is scheduled begin building its electric Mustang Mach-E in Mexico later this year.
Ford is allowing European customers to continue driving their plug-in Kugas but has instructed them not to plug their cars into a charger, Ward said. The vehicles can operate in conventional hybrid mode without charging. The company extended vehicle warranties and issued 500-euro gasoline cards to reimburse customers for a loss in fuel economy, Ward said.
Source: Reuters
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