Ford only has a couple of electric vehicles available in the United States, but the American automaker’s latest addition to its European lineup could give us a sneak peek at what’s yet to come. The Ford Puma Gen-E is the all-electric version of the manufacturer’s best-selling gas-powered subcompact crossover. It’s also the latest model to utilize Ford’s marketing strategy of capitalizing on well-known nameplates.
The Ford Puma Gen-E offers 234 miles of range for a reasonable price
Often called the Ford Mustang Mach-E’s little brother, the Puma Gen-E serves as the entry-level model to the American automaker’s EV lineup. As such, maintaining an affordable price is crucial, but range and performance suffer as a result. The Puma Gen-E is one of the slowest EVs around, trotting to 60 MPH in eight seconds.
While the Puma Gen-E starts in the mid-$30,000 range, it comes with a 43 kWh battery that offers a 234-mile range. Thanks to one-pedal driving and the average European’s shorter commutes, Ford claims a maximum city driving range of around 325 miles. In terms of charging, owners can expect to go from 10% to 80% in as little as 23 minutes.
As a subcompact crossover, the Puma primarily competes with models like the Hyundai Kona and Toyota C-HR. Considering how much Americans love crossovers, it’s a bit surprising that the Puma Gen-E won’t be hitting our roadways anytime soon. Then again, we didn’t get the gas version either, nor have we seen some of the other electric SUVs that currently grace Europe’s roadways.
Ford continues capitalizing on household names
While not many Americans may have heard of the Ford Puma in recent years, that’s far from the case in Europe. On the other side of the pond, the gas-powered Puma is Ford’s leading model in sales.
The marketing strategy of using well-known names has gone well for the most part. While the Mustang Mach-E had some controversy associated with it, the F-150 Lightning pickup gained traction in no time at all.
Over in Europe, Ford also launched an all-electric version of the Explorer SUV with a maximum range of 379 miles on a single charge. Ford even kicked off the era of electrification in Europe with a 30,000-kilometer trip led by the Explorer EV.
“Ford wants to bring passion and emotion to electric vehicles in Europe. There are enough boring cars and SUVs out there. The new Explorer represents Ford’s unique character, which is stamped on every car in this fantastic convoy,” said Jim Farley, CEO of Ford. “We’re proud to launch this new all-electric passenger car designed specifically for Europe’s roads and customers, and obviously capable of taking you anywhere in the world.”
The Capri nameplate received a revival in all-electric form as well. The sport-inspired model challenges the Volkswagen ID.5 and Volvo EX30 with a stylish design and performance-focused powertrain, all while offering more cargo space than the Explorer EV.
Final thoughts
The Ford Puma Gen-E is clearly designed to be practical on European roadways. While it may be a subcompact crossover, it still offers a fairly spacious cabin thanks in part to the lack of an engine and transmission.
Due to its smaller battery pack and low range, by American standards at least, the Puma Gen-E isn’t likely to hit our shores anytime soon. Even so, perhaps the American automaker can incorporate the affordability of the Puma Gen-E in a future North American EV sometime soon.
