Ford amped for new phase of hybrid-electric offensive

With the persistent auto-industry question of how soon battery electric vehicles will become mainstream options, Ford is preparing to widely deploy its fourth-generation hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) technology that Dave Felipe, the VP of powertrain engineering, said will result in a fuel-efficient, performance-rich HEV variant for “all mainstream models” in North America.

The company's wide-ranging plan to implement hybridization is a central aspect of its commitment to invest $11 billion in new electrification technology by 2022, said Felipe. He added that the new modular hybrid technology (MHT) system for its larger and heavier vehicles that often are used for towing makes Ford “the only OEM that's going to play in those places” with hybrid models-while market forces sort out how quickly electric vehicles are adopted for mass-market buyers.