Ford Australia is taking significant steps into the electric vehicle (EV) market with a focus on meeting the needs of Australian consumers, tradespeople, and fleet operators. Recently, Ford showcased its new electric models, including the Ranger Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) and the E-Transit Custom, at major industry events. Myles Hartley, General Manager of Electric Vehicles at Ford Australia, spoke passionately about Ford’s commitment to electrification and how the new models are tailored to meet the diverse demands of Australian customers.
At the Melbourne event, Hartley shared the excitement of bringing pre-production prototypes of these vehicles to Australia, saying, “Today, we’re really lucky. We’ve actually got two pre-production prototypes here on stand. One just arrived on Friday, so we were sweating a little bit as we watched the boats coming through the port.”
The Ranger PHEV, an electrified version of Australia’s best-selling vehicle, remains a versatile workhorse designed with local users in mind.
“It’s designed and engineered right here in Australia for our customers and [to] deliver on the core DNA and capabilities that our customers need for this product, so things like towing and performance off-road are uncompromised.”
Alongside the Ranger PHEV, Ford also displayed the fully electric E-Transit Custom van. Built for commercial operators, the E-Transit Custom maintains the versatility and load capacity that has made the Transit range globally popular. Hartley highlighted its significance, saying, “This will offer our customers all of the versatility that’s led to the Transit range being one of the world’s best selling vehicles… it offers our customers exactly what they need in terms of safety, comfort and technology to do their job safely.”
Hartley’s statements reinforce Ford’s goal of delivering electric vehicles that preserve the core qualities Australian users value, and help organisations to decarbonise fleets.
