Heading down electric
THE Ford Fiesta is now available with electrification for the first time. Britain’s favourite supermini can now be ordered with a mild hybrid system, which uses a 48-volt motor to assist the petrol engine. Ford says fuel efficiency is improved by 5% while also making it more powerful and responsive to drive.
It is available in two power outputs of 123bhp and 153bhp. The former emits 109g/km CO2 and promises 57.6mpg, while the latter emits 116g/ km CO2 and achieves 55.4mpg.
It’s part of Ford’s plan to offer an electrified version of every passenger vehicle it makes and plans to have 18 electrified models on sale by the end of 2021.
Roelant de Waard, vice president of marketing, sales and service at Ford of Europe, said: “The Fiesta EcoBoost Hybrid will help Ford bring the benefits of electrification to more drivers than ever before.”
The mild-hybrid Fiesta will be available on the Titanium trim level with prices starting at £19,860.
Equipment includes adaptive cruise control with stop and go and speed sign recognition.
Meanwhile, Fiat has opened reservations for the new electric 500 hatchback, joining the zero-emission convertible in the firm’s line-up.
The ‘la Prima’ launch edition is priced at £26,995 including the plug-in car grant and comes with a Wallbox that can be fitted at home to deliver up to 3kW of charging power. This can be upgraded to 7.4kW, which can provide a full charge in just over six hours.
The electric 500 has a maximum charge rate of 85kW, which Fiat says can add a usable 30 miles of range in five minutes, or can top the battery up to 80% in 35 minutes. Its 42kWh battery has a range of 199 miles.
The electric motor’s output is 87kW and provides a top speed of 93mph,
In this la Prima specification, the