Ford to release four hybrid cars in the Middle East

The first confirmed model will be the Ford F-150

Ford will release four new hybrid vehicles in the Middle East, starting with the F-150, over the next four years. Courtesy: ASDA´A Burson-Marsteller

Ford Motors will release four hybrid vehicles in the Middle East during the next four years, the American automaker said on Monday.

The Ford F-150 hybrid model will be launched alongside the Fusion Hybrid, which Ford said is currently only available in Jordan.

“These are incredibly exciting times for Ford in the Middle East with our aggressive product plan coming together, and a full range of electrified vehicles planned for the near term,” said Jacques Brent, president of Ford Middle East and Africa.

Earlier this year, the company said it would invest US$4.5 billion, adding 13 new electric vehicles (EVs) to its lineup over the next five years. Ford said it was targeting customers to offer the choice of accessibility to the more popular, larger vehicles.

The F-150 is the first to be earmarked to hit the region; however, the company did not release technical details on the new models such as being a plug-in hybrid or a combustible engine with the gasoline actually generating backup power.

This comes at a time when not only are carmakers rushing to add EVs to their offerings, but also when countries are making greater moves to curb carbon emissions.

The UAE government is targeting a 15 per cent reduction in carbon emissions in 2020 and a 20 per cent target for EVs within its own government fleets. Dubai has its own emirate targets: 2 per cent of all cars will be either electric or hybrid by 2020, targeting 10 per cent by 2030.

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Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) and the Road Transport Authority (RTA) released incentives in September to encourage individual purchases of EVs. And while Ford is releasing hybrid models in the UAE, cars such as the Fusion Hybrid are not eligible for the incentives, such as free parking and toll-free passes, as it is not plug-in.