Latest news with #PumaGen-E
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford Puma Gen-E
Few of the many other cars we test in 2025 will carry the significance of this one. Yes, the Ford Puma Gen-E is just another all-electric compact crossover, and there have been quite a few of those released in the past couple of years. But the difference here is that the combustion-engined version happens to be the UK's best-selling car. We therefore know that the fundamental Ford Puma recipe is one that many people love, and Ford will be hoping those existing Puma owners will be among the first in line to swap petrol for electric. It will be interesting to observe the extent to which that actually happens. The enormous popularity of the petrol Puma means this Gen-E model is something of a litmus test for broader attitudes toward EVs at the more affordable end of the market. Ford executives expect the Gen-E to make up 10-15% of total Puma sales, and if it's less than that, we will know the reason lies not in the basic product but in the manner of its propulsion. You can rest assured that other competitors in this class, and also beyond, will be taking notes. Of course, the Puma Gen-E is also pivotal to Ford, whose EV roll-out hasn't been straightforward. Its first full-blooded EV, the Mustang Mach-E, was not without merit but was expensive. Next up was the Explorer – a serviceable family EV spun off the platform used by the Volkswagen ID 4 and therefore without much real Ford DNA in it. As much became apparent when we drove one. The dynamic package didn't have that sparkle about it, as the Focus – the car the Explorer is all but superseding – always did. It means the Puma Gen-E is only the second serious, fully in-house EV Ford has made (we're excluding the toe-in-the-water Focus Electric of 2011 and the much more esoteric F-150 Lightning here). It arrives not before time too. Other car makers have had footholds in the small EV arena for some time and the Puma's rivals now include the Jeep Avenger, the Skoda Elroq, the Smart #1, the sizeable MG S5 EV and the more premium Volvo EX30, not to mention the formidable Renault 5 and the Kia EV3. Some of these cars undercut the Puma Gen-E's £29,995 starting price, while others justify their higher cost with extra space and some degree of opulence. The question is where this pivotal and potentially likeable Ford slots in to the class hierarchy. Let's find out. The Gen-E is built alongside the 'regular' Puma in Ford's Craiova plant in Romania, and visually there's scant difference between the two. The new variant has the EV-typical covered-off grille and naturally there are no tailpipes, but otherwise the appearance is unchanged, but for two exclusive colour options (Electric Yellow and Digital Aqua Blue, for £800). The technical specification does suggest that the EV rides a fraction higher than its ICE sibling, although the difference is slight, and with the same body-in-white, the kerbside stance of the two cars is identical. The chassis is an adaptation of the Ford Global B-car platform that underpins the petrol Puma, and indeed served beneath the fine-handling Fiesta before the supermini was retired. At this price, it's not unusual for this approach to be taken, although certain rivals do use a dedicated electric platform. The more expensive EX30 gets one (its Sustainable Experience Architecture is loosely shared with everything from the #1 to the Lotus Eletre in the Geely stable), as does anything from the Volkswagen Group, and also the Renault 5. Along the floor sits an NMC battery pack with 43.6kWh of usable capacity. If that sounds on the modest side, that's because it is. Among entry-level rivals from Mini, Renault, Volvo and Kia, the least you will find is 49.0kWh and some of those cars have a 'long-range' option for even more capacity – something Ford so far insists it won't offer for the Gen-E. It drives a 166bhp, front-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor built at Ford's Halewood factory, which last year came online after a £380 million redevelopment and will create electric drive units for 70% of the firm's Europe-sold EVs. So far there's no talk of a more powerful Gen-E derivative (an ST is the obvious candidate), but the existing car's output certainly leaves head room, given that petrol Pumas have had as much at 197bhp. The rest of the hardware is broadly the same as for the petrol version, with MacPherson-strut suspension at the front and a torsion bar rear, controlled by coil springs and passive dampers. The set-up has been subject to a comprehensive retune, however, on account of the Gen-E's considerably lower centre of gravity and increased kerb weight. We were unable to weigh the car on this occasion, but Ford's claim of 1488kg makes the Gen-E 283kg heavier than the 1.0-litre mild-hybrid Puma we tested in 2020. With the driver on board, it means this crossover supermini treads the scales at well beyond 1500kg. Amazingly, this compares fairly well with rivals. A Renault 5 is a touch lighter, but an EX30 and a Mini Aceman are considerably heavier than the Ford. The Gen-E's trump card from an interior perspective is an unusual one for electric cars: luggage space. If you include the Gigabox – a large, drainable recess beneath the adjustable-height boot floor – there's 523 litres of capacity, which is nothing short of colossal for a car in this segment (and at the more compact end of it, at that). The Gen-E also benefits from a frunk, which is useful for cables, and the boot can be opened electrically, which feels pleasingly grown-up. Inevitably, the driving position does feel perched, and the car's raised floor poses greater problems in the back because Ford has neglected to add cut-outs for your feet, which can make it difficult to slip them under the seat in front (for your information, this tester wore New Balance trainers – hardly disco slippers but not chunky). Head room is good, mind, although in general the Gen-E can't touch the EV3, which remains the obvious choice if you regularly need to cart teenagers about in the front, the Gen-E sports the layout of the updated petrol Puma, which blends surprisingly plush trim with conspicuously cheap plastics and includes two large digital displays, the central one of which contains all the climate control commands, albeit in a fixed row along the bottom. It runs Ford's Sync 4 software, although Android Auto and Apple CarPlay both connect wirelessly, even if the visual integration isn't too slick. In general, the Gen-E's cockpit lacks the visual flair, build quality and tactility of the Renault 5's, but it has a maturity about it as well as fundamentally good ergonomics (the steering column has huge reach adjustment) and plenty of oddment storage, including a split-level centre console with two USB ports on the lower deck, to hide for the driver, in some ways that higher hip-point detracts from the Gen-E experience to a greater extent than it might in a rival with no pretence of being 'fun to drive'. The petrol Puma always felt inherently 'right' as soon as you slid into its neatly bolstered seats. Even so, this is a good cockpit, with subtly dished, comfy seats. Moreoever, not only is there that adjustment in the steering column, but the relationship between the pedals and seat is also well judged and the slim, firm steering rim is satisfying to hold. It also allows a clear view of the digital display ahead of you, which is controlled via spoke-mounted buttons that have a nice feeling of solidity about them. The column stalks also feel more robust than you often find in this class, and using the right-hand arm as the gear selector comes naturally enough after a short while. Elsewhere, with its optional Winter and Comfort packages, our entry-level Select test car didn't feel at all bargain basement, although the Premium grade does add a Bang & Olufsen sound system as well as Sensico synthetic leather seat trim. You're not forced to endure any synthetic sonic enhancements if you don't want to, but the Gen-E's selectable accelerator sound is rather good. For a start, it's subtle. It comes from the correct place too, emanating not from the dashboard ahead but somewhere low and behind you. The note is also quite enjoyable, being reminiscent of the three-pot burble of the old Puma ST but with a bassiness in the vein of air-cooled Porsche 911s and, as speeds increase, a higher-frequency element a bit like that of the V6 in a Ferrari 296 GTB. Strange but true. The performance level is also exactly where you would want it to be in a sprightly, small EV without overtly sporty pretensions but with a bit of driver appeal. At MIRA, the sprint to 60mph took 7.2sec, which isn't quick but certainly isn't slow, either. Tip-in acceleration is also delivered sensibly, with a gratifying sharpness that never overspills into hair-trigger jerkiness. You can choose from a couple of modes that vary this sort of thing, but the Gen-E always feels intuitive. Our only real criticism is that you can't mix and match. It would be useful to have the crisp accelerator pick-up of Sport mode while retaining the easygoing, fingertippy steering calibration you get in Normal mode. As is the norm in this class, there isn't a vast array of regeneration braking options or paddles with which to vary the strength of the system on the fly, but you can go into the menus and select a (slightly grabby) 'one-pedal' mode that ramps up the regen normal driving, there are two settings, the default being close to a freewheeling mode and moderately strong 'L' mode selected via the drive selector stalk. Meanwhile, outright braking performance wasn't especially impressive during our tests (the Renault 5 stops more keenly), but the pedal feel is mostly good. The handover from regenerative to physical braking has been carefully considered, it seems. A showdown with the Renault 5 beckons, because the Gen-E handles very agreeably by class standards. Given that underneath the crossover-lite body and the electric powertrain sits more or less the same platform as the old Fiesta, this shouldn't come as a surprise. What's encouraging is that the Fiesta's enthusiasm for turning in to corners, and its well-judged balance of fun-invoking roll and neat control, has largely survived the transition from supermini to far heavier, taller, electric crossover. The Gen-E is good to drive. Much of this stems from the steering. For this kind of car, you need to temper your expectations in respect of feel and communication, but do that and you will find the Puma rack's crisp off-centre pacing satisfying, with an enjoyable lightness that stops short of feeling disconnected. It's an engaging helm and, as with the petrol Puma, means the Gen-E is fun to put down all manner of roads at everything from a canter to a committed lick. Helping matters is the fact that the Gen-E will have a better weight distribution than the petrol Puma, hardly a nose-heavy car itself in the first place. The EV is conspicuously well balanced and cannily damped, which not only makes it easy to place but also allows the chassis to claw considerable lateral grip out of its efficiency-minded tyres. With 166bhp, there was never going to be any need for a limited-slip differential, as the old Puma ST had, but even with that car's 197bhp output, we doubt the Gen-E would need mechanical intervention to remain hooked up. This a neat, cohesive car to drive, with a good sense of flow and personality. As for comfort, the Gen-E uses a torsion-bar back axle where several rivals have fully independent rear suspension, which might be a concern for some. Equally, at this point Ford knows a thing or two about setting up a smallish hatchbacks, and we found our Select test car to ride well enough despite its comparatively ordinary mechanical layout, even at low speeds. Note, however, that the entry-level Gen-E tested here wears 17in wheels with generous sidewalls. Premium-grade cars have 18in wheels with shorter sidewalls, and in our experience this can make a noticeable difference to compliance on a small wheelbase, and with a quite a taut, sporty setup. Still, we can only assess the car we've driven and, by class standards, the Gen-E Select cushions sharp impacts (potholes and the like) surprisingly well for a car with such engaging handling and it also exhibits a fine long-wave gait on motorways – although you won't be spending too much time on those, as we will come to soon. The Gen-E is refined enough too. Its 66dBA at a 70mph cruise is an exact match for the larger (and independently suspended) Skoda Elroq, as well as the considerably more expensive Mini Aceman SE Exclusive we've previously tested. Ford has taken its time to deliver a sub-£30,000 EV, but the Gen-E is, finally, that car – so long as you go for the entry-level Select without any options whatsoever. (Add £2000 to go for Premium grade.) In fairness, doing so won't leave you bereft of kit. You might want to spec an option pack or two for heated seats and a fancier sound system, but even if you don't, you still get the Sync 4 infotainment, the digital instruments, wireless phone charging and a rear-view camera. It puts the Gen-E in an interesting position, usefully undercutting some of the premium brands but starting at a noticeably higher price than the Renault 5, which has to be considered this car's chief rival. In terms of usability, the small battery capacity should concern anybody undertaking longer drives on a regular basis. Our test car's 3.4mpkWh at 70mph isn't poor, but with just 43.6kWh to draw from, it translates to a motorway range of only 148 miles. Public charging can be done at up to a claimed 100kW, which is par for the class, but we saw a considerable drop-off in speed from a 50% state of charge (SoC) onwards, and a weighted average of 68kW for the 10%-90% SoC period. The Renault 5 has the same maximum charging speed but maintained a quicker rate for longer. However, the Gen-E aced our 'everyday' economy test for low- to medium-speed routes, averaging 6.2mpkWh. That should give you a strong 270-mile day-to-day range. Because we're dealing with a small crossover here, that's probably a compromise most Gen-E owners will be prepared to make. Ford is also offering a free home charger in partnership with Octopus Energy and 'up to 10,000 miles' of charging credit if you opt for the Intelligent Octopus Go tariff, though only for cars bought before the end of June. There's five years' free servicing on offer too, although the likes of Kia, Hyundai and MG all offer longer vehicle warranties. Being based on the existing petrol Puma platform, the Gen-E's potential to change the game in its class was always going to be limited. Certainly, Ford's belated introduction of a more affordable EV doesn't set new benchmarks for range, charging speed or price, even if the car's 'everyday' efficiency is very good indeed. Instead, this is a nicely rounded small electric crossover and, unlike the VW-based Explorer, it is recognisably 'Ford' in its handling. Owners will enjoy driving it, even if they can't quite say why. Its easygoing manner extends to its refinement, which is a surprising strength, to go along with that everyday economy and a vast boot. The Gen-E straddles the outright-budget EV class and the more refined small SUV class and does so neatly. ]]>
The Courier
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Courier
The cat's out of the bag: Introducing the new Ford Puma Gen-E
The mystery of the Fife cats has been solved. For the past few weeks residents of the Kingdom have been baffled by dozens of images of felines that have appeared on signs and roadsides. Some Courier online content is funded by outside parties. The revenue from this helps to sustain our independent news gathering. You will always know if you are reading paid-for material as it will be clearly labelled as 'Partnership' on the site and on social media channels, This can take two different forms. This means the content has been paid for and produced by the named advertiser. This means the content has been paid for and approved by the named advertiser but written and edited by our own commercial content team. The moggie art had users of the Fife Jammers Facebook page scratching their heads, with more than 500 reactions and over 100 comments. As well as the street art, there was a poster campaign and newspaper adverts in The Courier. Now the culprits behind the scheme have stepped forward. The cats are a clever viral marketing campaign by local car dealership Your Ford Centre. Thinking of going electric? Head to Cupar Ford Centre's state-of-the-art showroom and workshop, fully equipped to meet all your needs. Whether you're seeking advice on the best car for your lifestyle or assistance with a technical issue, the experienced and fully trained staff are ready to help. This summer, the team at Cupar Ford is promoting the new Ford Puma Gen-E. The fully electric version of Ford's incredibly popular small SUV is on sale now, with prices starting at under £30,000. It has a 43kWh battery that gives the car a range of 233 miles – making it one of the most efficient EVs on the market. The boot has a false floor with more space underneath and there's storage under the bonnet. Altogether, the Puma Gen-E has a huge 566 litres of storage space. Stuart Prentice and Filip Krawczyk are group marketing executives for Your Ford Centre and came up with the idea for a viral marketing campaign. The pair were inspired by the 'puddle lights' on the new Ford Puma Gen-E, which beams a puma image onto the pavement when you open the driver's door. They went to great lengths to keep their campaign secret. Stuart explained: 'We didn't tell any of the staff or management here so that there was no risk of it being leaked, and so they wouldn't share the likes of Fife Jammers posts – so there was no way of it being traced back to us. 'We created the website and email address for new cat on the block from personal computers and contacts again so it was harder to trace back to Your Ford Centre.' The pair stencilled more than 100 cats all over Fife over the course of a few days. 'The hardest part was actually getting the cats out there without being caught,' Stuart continued. 'Some were done during the day wearing high vis so no-one really questioned what was happening if they did see us, but most were done in the dead of night. 'I was out several times at midnight and beyond to do them.' Filip said: 'It was hard to keep it a secret, but we have made it happen. It was even harder to keep a straight face while overhearing people talk about it, but what a great feeling to be behind one of the most secret campaigns in the UK automotive industry.' What's not a secret? The high-quality and fully electric Ford Puma Gen-E.
Auto Express
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Ford should bring back the Fiesta. Oh no it shouldn't!
The Ford Fiesta is as big a name as they come in the car world, particularly in the UK where the supermini was a perennial best seller for decades. Now it's dead, off sale and only available on the used car market but we've discovered that there's more than a flicker of interest within Ford in bringing it back. Advertisement - Article continues below The question is, should Ford reanimate its small car icon for the electric car age or would it do better to look to the future? Editor Paul Barker, and editor-at-large Phil McNamara, have differing views on the subject that they outline below but which side of the Fiesta fence are you on? Let us know in the comments... By Paul Barker, editor As someone who has spent a couple of years explaining why Ford was right to kill off the Fiesta, it's now entirely correct that I bang the drum for its return. Everything about this makes sense – if Ford can make money. Which was why the last one had to die; it wasn't bringing in enough cash to justify its existence. Nobody cans profitable projects, but producing millions of Fiesta simply to appease people who would be sad that it's not around any more isn't sound business. Sell as many cars as you like; if you're not making any money on them, it's pointless. But teaming up with Volkswagen makes sense; two traditional giants of the automotive world helping each other fight back against the invading forces of cheaper electric competition. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Stellantis has the economy of scale to produce small electric cars across multiple badges, and Dacia's stripped-back offering makes it easier to hit lower price points. But Ford, and to a lesser extent Volkswagen, require help to get the volumes to make the sums add up. Advertisement - Article continues below Ford also really needs some good news. It's missed the boat on everything from SUVs to EVs in the past decade or so, and the thought of it sitting watching from the side as brand after brand gets stuck into the sub-£25k electric car sector is a bit sad – especially if it's pointing to a £30k Puma Gen-E as a good enough entry point to its EV range. If Ford is going to flourish in the electric era, it needs real, credible mass-market cars that people will love. The Fiesta is one of those models that everyone has a memory of, a car that worms its way into daily life. Ford is in real danger of losing its place in the nation's heart, and unlike the controversial resurrection of the Capri, a sub-£25,000 electric Fiesta would be an appropriate return for an already much-missed nameplate. A partnership with VW is the only way I can see the company pulling it off, though. Without it, Ford's future line-up just looks a little bare. Make it happen! By Phil McNamara, editor-at-large Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The Fiesta has been Ford's latter-day Model T, the car that gave Europeans the freedom of mobility in the 1910s and '20s. To Britons, it's still hard to contemplate a market without the Fiesta, the best driving supermini bar none up until production ended in 2023. Advertisement - Article continues below I hail from Essex. My first girlfriend had a Mk2, her mum a fuel-injected XR2i. Even my mum's last car was a sixth-generation, burgundy red Fiesta. Ford was the go-to brand of my formative years. But I think bringing the Fiesta back could be a big mistake, and it all comes down to economies of scale. JATO Dynamics reckons Europeans bought two-million hatches in the 'supermini' B-segment last year – and 2.46-million B-SUVs. Not much more than a decade ago, there was no such thing as a B-SUV; no Nissan Juke or Ford Puma. So the market has splintered but competition remains intense: Volkswagen Polo, Renault Clio, Vauxhall Corsa, MINI, Peugeot 208, Toyota Yaris and so on. And while Stellantis, the Volkswagen Group and the Renault-Nissan Alliance can pool volume, Ford of Europe is on its own. Attempts to take the Fiesta global failed; too small for America, too costly for emerging markets. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below 'The Fiesta is too expensive for the rest of the world,' Ford CEO Jim Farley told me a year ago. 'To be successful, you either need a local government supporting you in the B-car business, or you need to have global scale. And if you have global scale, the centre of the market is not Europe. It's South America, Africa and the Middle East – and the cost base is half what it is in Europe.' Advertisement - Article continues below Could Ford get sufficient scale by partnering with Volkswagen Group? It's clearly being discussed, and VW would love to share the burden of the MEB-Entry architecture with Ford. But it's telling that stablemates SEAT, Skoda and Audi don't see a way to get involved in the project. And there's another huge blocker for Jim Farley. 'We're always open for business, we're working with Volkswagen [on the Explorer and Capri which use VW's MEB electric car platform]. But opportunities like this are more complex than meets the eye. 'Anyone who says we can all share is overlooking our industry's digital software complexity. One of my biggest bets as CEO is my platforms and that includes our electric architectures. There will be places where we work together like MEB. But in the future that will be harder, not easier.' Writing the software that delivers differentiated Ford features – like it's nailed with Ford Transit digital services that monitor vehicle health, driver behaviour and real-time tracking – becomes so much harder. And as the industry totally embraces Software Defined Vehicles, a compromised Fiesta just won't make an impact. So Ford should stick to its guns, and leave the supermini fray to budget supremos such as Dacia, and whizzy EVs like the forthcoming BYD Dolphin Surf – not to mention VW's own ID.2. Let Ford focus on its survival plan for the rest of the European passenger car market… Let us know your thoughts on the Ford Fiesta's potential return in the comments section below... View Fiesta View Fiesta View Fiesta View Fiesta View Fiesta View Fiesta View Fiesta View Fiesta View Fiesta Find a car with the experts Ford Fiesta set to return? Icon could be reborn with a little help from Volkswagen Ford Fiesta set to return? Icon could be reborn with a little help from Volkswagen The Ford Fiesta could be coming back from the dead, and our exclusive image previews how it might look New Renault 4 2025 review: as good as the Renault 5 with the bonus of extra space New Renault 4 2025 review: as good as the Renault 5 with the bonus of extra space The new Renault 4 takes everything that's good about the Renault 5 and adds extra cabin and boot space Kia EV6 now cheaper than ever thanks to new entry-level model Kia EV6 now cheaper than ever thanks to new entry-level model The new Kia EV6 Air Standard Range can cover up to 265 miles on a single charge, and starts from just over £39k
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Britain's best-selling car has gone electric
Published: Updated: The best-selling car in the UK has gone electric. Having topped the new model sales charts for the last two years, Ford has fitted its volume-selling Puma with a battery in a bid to take over the EV registrations leaderboard too. From the outside - apart from a few tweaks like the three-stripe big cat headlights and closed grille - the new electric Puma Gen-E looks almost identical to its combustion-engined sibling, so it's not going to put any noses out of joint. But underneath the familiar bodywork is a completely revised electric drivetrain and chassis upgrades that will make it feel very different to drive to the petrol Puma we've come to know and love. The big question is, does it still have all the ingredients that has seen Britons buy more Pumas than any other car over the last 24 months? We've been testing Ford's touted 'best ever Puma' at the official launch in Spain to see if it will appeal to both EV converts and those still dead against owning a battery-powered car... Petrol Puma's best-selling credentials Before we get into the new Puma Gen-E, it's worth a brief reminder about the sales success of the standard car. Ford launched the Puma in 2019 , reintroducing a nameplate previously reserved for its mid-nineties, affordably-priced, two-door coupe. This time, the Puma badge has been stamped onto the bootlid of a compact 'crossover' - a growing segment that is showing no sign of waning right now. It replaced the best-selling Fiesta - on which it is mechanically based and shares a platform - as the growing demand for SUVs led Ford to substitute its iconic small car with a jacked-up alternative. In 2023, the year Fiesta production ended , Puma became the UK's best-selling new car. With 49,591 registrations, it dethroned the Nissan Qashqai by 7,270 sales that year and in 2024 Ford sold a further 48,340 Pumas to take the number one spot for a second consecutive term. Ford says more than two in five (43 per cent) of all new cars it delivers in Britain are Pumas today. The electric Puma: Ford's first sub-£30k EV – what do you get for that money? The Puma is an important moment for Ford because it's the first time that the American brand has delivered a genuinely affordable EV to the market. Ford has historically been the maker of attainably-priced cars, dating back to the original Model T of the early 1900s. So, it's somewhat surprising that it's taken the Michigan brand four attempts in recent years to bring to market an EV that's below that crucial £30,000 benchmark. Its Mustang Mach-E SUV costs from £43,340, t he Explorer EV from £39,285 , and the Capri EV from £42,085 . Not what you'd call cheap. But Ford has felt the pressure mounting from rivals who have started to bring truly affordable EVs to market; think Renault's £22,975 5 E-Tech , Citroen's £22,095 e-C3 and Dacia's budget-friendly £14,995 Spring . Dacia has also recently announced it will add another sub-£15k EV to its arsenal, while Chinese newcomer BYD is due to bring its Dolphin Surf to the UK with a similar price tag. Unfortunately, Ford is still no match for any of these. The Puma Gen-E starts from £29,995, which is still far above the reasonably-priced competition, but one bonus is that Ford has a simple line-up of just two trims: the entry-level Gen-E Select and the Gen-E Premium costs £31,995. On top of that there are only three packs (Comfort, Winter, ADAS) and five extra spec options (19-inch alloy wheels, panoramic roof, contrast roof, two bar and all-season tyres). Both versions are full of standard kit. This includes a 12-inch touchscreen and 12.8-inch digital instrument display, wireless smartphone connection with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear view camera, ambient lighting, pre-collision alert, auto beam headlights – the list goes on. What's it like to drive? I'm fortunate enough to have already driven Ford's three other EV models - and Puma Gen-E is the one I've enjoyed most form behind the wheel. This fun hatchback is a welcome break from the smooth - though rather dull - SUVs the US brand has brought us already, and it has a petrol-esque personality. The ride is firm (but not too harsh) and it handles its weight (200kg more than the petrol version) very well. It's not particularly fast. It certainly doesn't give you that throw you back in your seats EV instant acceleration kick, though it will hit 60mph in eight seconds, which isn't too shabby for a small crossover like this. There's plenty of punch for both town and country driving and it will reach 70mph on a short motorway-entry slip road so you merge at the same pace as the rest of the traffic. Grip levels during our drive were excellent. There's very minimal roll in the corners and it was engaging and rewarding to drive on the winding roads of Barcelona's wine region. While it handled any uneven surfaces in towns well at low speeds, it can jolt and become less stable on rough tarmac and bumps when you're travelling at pace. We'll have to reserve judgement on how it performs on Britain's pothole-ravaged highways until we test it here, rather than basing our assessment on the silky-smooth, crater-free, Spanish routes. With its regenerative braking, the initial bite of stopping power is quite sharp. This, however, can be adjusted with a button the steering wheel stalk between D (regular drive mode) and L (not quite full one pedal drive) which applies tweaked regen performance across Puma Gen-E's four driving modes. Elsewhere, the infotainment system is by no means my favourite of the recent systems I've tested, but the hassle of trying to tailor (by which I mean turn off!) driver assistance features - like the drowsiness alert and intelligent speed assistance - really is a headache at best and dangerous at worst. While the steering wheel is about half the size of my 5ft3 frame, which makes little sense in a car of this size, it could be easily adjusted along with the very comfortable and not over-cladded seats to create a perfect driving position. And the steering itself is very responsive and thoroughly enjoyable to thread around tight mountain turns. In summary, this is an EV with spirit. I could even go so far as to say it's a bit of a 'driver's' small electric car, which could make it a genuine rival to the Renault 5 E-Tech. Battery, range and charging costs The Puma Gen-E is available only with a 43kWh battery, though the two trims levels have slightly different ranges; the Select does 233 miles on a single charge while the Premium can cover just 226. In real life, we found it fell short of this with a real-world range of less than 200 miles (Ford gives the Gen-E an efficiency figure of 4.5kmi/kWh but it's more like 4.2mi/kWh in reality). While this will still be more than enough for the average British driver's weekly travel requirements, its not as impressive as some rivals with cheaper price tags. Charging times are around 23 minutes for 10 to 80 per cent charge on 100kW speeds and around seven hours on a 7kW wallbox home charger. But it's the charging costs that add to the affordability tag. Ford calculated (as of 19 March) that a full Gen-E charge costs £3.23 (based on Intelligent Octopus Go tariff) while the total cost to fill up a petrol Puma is £12.64. It also currently has a deal on offer where all new EV purchases come with a free home charger , including the cost of installation. Storage space: The Puma Gen E's boot keeps on giving The Gen-E is a nice, small EV to cover miles in. There's lots of storage throughout the cabin – the raised centre console gives additional storage – and it's very comfortable during long-distance treks. The cabin feels light and airy, especially with the panoramic roof that opens up, and it's generally an upbeat interior, which helps draw attention away from a few of the cheaper materials dotted around. The dash divided my peers on the launch, but I think it looks neat enough if not actively exciting. The B&O soundbar on top - only available in the Premium trim - adds dimension as well as much improved acoustics. However, Ford's SYNC4 infotainment system with Alexa is definitely not winning points from me: it's a pain to use and the navigation has a longer lag time than a tortoise doing the 100 metre sprint. Another pitfall is the rear seats and lack of head room. It's definitely not suitable for six footers on long trips, but then it is a pretty small car with a sloping roof. But we forgive and forget those bugbears (not least because you can just wireless connect Apple CarPlay and that problem goes away) because Ford has managed to give a small crossover 523 litres of boot space. We'll repeat that: 523 litres. That's more than the Explorer, Mach-E and only (two litres) shy of the Capri - all of them far bigger motors. It also puts EV models from bigger body segments, like Vauxhall's Mokka-e (310 litres), Volvo EX30 (318 litres) and VW ID.3 (385 litres) to shame. Even a much larger Tesla Model Y SUV has only 554 litres. How? Because Ford's has managed to install the 'Gigabox' boot feature (available in the petrol Puma), which provides masses of underfloor storage. This is particularly useful for those who are nervous about leaving items in the boot, with your goods tucked way out of sight. It's also waterproof and has a plug in it so you can use it for electrical appliances. Bolstering the luggage capacity is a small froot (front boot) measuring 43 litres in total. However, you're likely to keep the charging cable here, so much of the storage area is used. The total space throughout the car is 574-litres of storage space – that's lot for a little vehicle. Ford Puma Gen-E: The Cars and Motoring verdict Ford's no stranger to the best-sellers list. In the 54 years that registrations have officially been tracked, a model with the blue oval badge has topped the charts an astonishing 51 times. And we think the arrival of the Gen-E will help Puma cement the position for a 52nd time. I would go as far as saying this is the volume-selling EV the market has been begging for from Ford for years. It's a bit let down by the range, but now Ford's joined the sub-£30k EV party with a spacious, good-to-drive and comfortable small car, you can somewhat overlook this one issue. And many people will feel most comfortable buying an electric equivalent to a car they're already familiar with or driving. So, considering an awful lot of UK drivers already drive a Puma - or intend to buy one - then the electric version should be a no-brainer for those considering a more eco-conscious option. For those not yet ready to make the switch, the 'mild hybrid' petrol Puma remains on sale today with a start price of £26,580. Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.
Globe and Mail
15-04-2025
- Automotive
- Globe and Mail
Ford Stock (NYSE:F) Slides on an Oddly Electric Future
In an odd twist, two separate news items emerged about legacy automaker Ford (F) that focused on electricity. Whether it was making it or using it, it was all about electricity today. But investors are tiring of the electrical notion, and sent shares down over 2.5% in Tuesday afternoon's trading. Stay Ahead of the Market: Discover outperforming stocks and invest smarter with Top Smart Score Stocks. Filter, analyze, and streamline your search for investment opportunities using Tipranks' Stock Screener. First came word from DTE Energy (DTE), who recently set up an entire new solar park specifically to supply power to Ford Motor Company operations. DTE has begun construction of the Cold Creek Solar Park, which when complete, will generate 100 megawatts of power. The array will be located outside of Coldwater, Michigan, and represents the single largest purchase of renewable energy from a utility in all of American history. Ford is not stopping there, either; it plans to purchase another 650 megawatts of renewable power, which, reports note, will reduce Ford's carbon consumption by about 600,000 tons. This is part of Ford's larger goal to be carbon neutral by 2050, and completely carbon-free in manufacturing by 2035. And Using It Too So while one part of Ford news focused on how Ford would use electricity, it turns out, Ford is also putting it to work to make more electric vehicles, too. And, as part of Ford's ongoing commitment to stay out of 'boring cars,' Ford is shutting down the Focus ST, and bringing out in its place sportier electrics, reports note. The hatchback may be just about out at Ford, but new plans suggest that the Puma Gen-E will be coming out, and fairly soon. It may have to wait until the next generation, or it may be out in this generation, but one of those two will see an improved, 'sportier' Gen-E. Plus, electric vehicles will soon be added to the RS and ST rosters, which were previously suggested as being in decline. Is Ford Stock a Good Buy Right Now? Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on F stock based on three Buys, nine Holds and three Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 16.1% loss in its share price over the past year, the average F price target of $9.46 per share implies 0.05% upside potential. See more F analyst ratings Disclosure Disclaimer & Disclosure Report an Issue
