New Ford Puma Gen-E: prices, specs and spy shots of Ford’s small electric SUV
The electric version of the best-selling car in Britain will be revealed later this year
The pure-electric version of the Ford Puma – the best-selling car in the UK in 2023 – will finally be unveiled later this year. So far it’s been announced that the official name is the Ford Puma Gen-E, and we’ve now received spy shots of Ford’s latest electric SUV testing in the bitter cold that support our exclusive image.
It makes perfect sense that Ford would want to capitalise on the Puma’s popularity and broaden the appeal of its already fantastic, newly facelifted small SUV by introducing an all-electric version. The car will go up against the Volvo EX30, Jeep Avenger and Peugeot E-2008, plus the forthcoming MINI Aceman also launching in 2024.
The Puma Gen-E will join the Mustang Mach-E and the newly unveiled VW ID.4-based Explorer in Ford’s electric SUV ranks. A zero-emissions coupe-SUV wearing the iconic Ford Capri nameplate is due to be revealed this year, too.
What platform will the Ford Puma Gen-E use?
The Puma Gen-E won’t be a bespoke electric car like the brand’s Explorer or Capri. Instead it will use the same B2E architecture used by the petrol-powered Puma and the latest Ford Transit Courier van – which will also soon be offered in all-electric guise as the E-Transit Courier. This leads us to expect that the Puma EV will have similar powertrains.
The E-Transit Courier van uses a single electric motor to drive its front wheels, producing 134bhp and 290Nm of torque – just shy of the E-2008 and Avenger’s power figures. However, Ford does have other e-motor options at its disposal, including a 215bhp unit from the mid-size E-Transit Custom van, and 181bhp and 265bhp motors offered in the larger E-Transit, so a choice of powertrains may be available.
The E-Transit Courier also boasts one-pedal driving capabilities and a maximum charging speed of 100kW that means a 10 to 80 per cent takes under 35 minutes according to Ford, or a claimed 54 miles of range can be added in just 10 minutes.
Ford hasn’t revealed what battery sizes will be used in either the E-Transit Courier or Puma EV, but based on the powerpacks used by similar sized EVs, a 50-60kWh battery would be ample for a range of 250 miles or more.
What will the Ford Puma Gen-E look like?
The short answer is, like the Ford Puma. Ford recently updated the design of the small SUV as part of a facelift for 2024, but the changes were almost imperceptibly subtle. It received the latest take on the Blue Oval badge, now located on the front grille, plus all-new headlights that incorporate a fresh daytime-running light signature.
The latest spy shots of the Puma Gen-E undergoing testing confirm the accuracy of our exclusive image, which shows that the EV won’t be given a drastic restyle. The petrol car’s curvy crossover body shape, high-set headlights and sloping rear end all appear to be untouched.
That said, there will be some EV-specific features, the most notable being the blanked-off front grille to improve aerodynamic efficiency and help with the range on the Gen-E. We can also see the Puma Gen-E prototype sporting a set of aero-optimised alloy wheels, again to help with range.
What will the interior of the Ford Puma Gen-E look like?
The bigger changes for the facelifted Ford Puma were found inside, and the Gen-E should feature the same clean interior layout.
The dashboard in the refreshed Puma almost wraps around the driver, with the slim air vents and 12-inch central touchscreen protruding out and angled towards them. Behind the new two-spoke steering wheel is a 12.8-inch digital instrument panel with options to customise the layout.
The new touchscreen runs Ford’s latest SYNC 4 infotainment system, that the company says is faster than the out-going Puma’s setup, and features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity as well. However, current Puma owners will notice the car’s physical climate controls have been ditched, with stuff like the cabin temperature now adjusted on the touchscreen.
How much will the Ford Puma Gen-E cost?
The Ford Puma Gen-E should start from around £35,000 if it wants to be competitive against its rivals from Jeep, Volvo and Peugeot on price. We’ll find out exact details when the car is fully unveiled later this year.
The electric Puma will be built alongside Ford’s upcoming electric commercial vehicles at Ford’s Craiova factory in Romania.
The brand’s other new electric SUVs, the Explorer and Capri, are set to be produced at Ford’s Cologne plant in Germany, which is being converted to an EV manufacturing facility thanks to a £1.5 billion investment. Unlike the Puma, these will adopt Volkswagen’s MEB electric architecture as part of a technical partnership between the two brands. The electric powertrain will be produced at Ford Halewood plant in Liverpool which received a £380 million investment in December 2022.
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