CHICAGO, April 5 — Ford Motor Company said yesterday that it is retiming the launch of upcoming electric vehicles at its Oakville, Ontario, assembly plant to 2027 from 2025, reported Xinhua.

The additional time will allow for the consumer market for three-row EVs to further develop and enable Ford to take advantage of emerging battery technology, to provide customers increased durability and better value, the US automaker said in a statement posted on its website today.

In parallel, Ford is expanding its hybrid electric vehicle offerings. By the end of the decade, the US automaker expects to offer hybrid powertrains across its entire internal combustion engine lineup in North America.

"As the No. 2 EV brand in the US for the past two years, we are committed to scaling a profitable EV business, using capital wisely, and bringing to market the right gas, hybrid, and fully electric vehicles at the right time,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. "Our breakthrough, next-generation EVs will be new from the ground up and fully software enabled, with ever-improving digital experiences and a multitude of potential services.”

Ford reported Wednesday that its electric vehicle sales increased by 86 per cent and hybrid sales rose 42 per cent from a year ago in the first quarter of 2024. — Bernama-Xinhua