We’re down to the last stretch before the great festivities of the holiday season, but Ford Philippines isn’t just done yet, with a huge announcement in tow.
Under the leadership of newly appointed managing director Pedro Simoes, who made his first appearance to the members of the press recently, Ford PH gears up as it sets ambitious goals for 2025.
First, Ford PH is redesigning its showrooms in the country, which means we’ll be seeing a different styling for the home of Blue Oval-badged vehicles on local roads. The timeline of this transformation was not disclosed, but we’ll likely see them first in Metro Manila as the country’s center of commerce. The new design will be called Ford Signature 2025, will focus on hospitality and customer-centricity, aiming to “elevate Ford to a lifestyle brand by creating core memories for customers and employees.”
Simoes also shared that Ford PH is launching a Learning Center, though, again, information about this is scarce at this point. What Ford shared is that this new facility will enable high-quality training among its pool of dealer technicians. The Learning Center will also provide non-technical training to dealer personnel and most importantly, will cater the training for handling EVs.
But probably the biggest news from the Ford PH is the expansion of its vehicle lineup to include electrified models. As one of the top-selling car brands in the country that doesn’t sell hybrid vehicles yet, the Ford PH will introduce its first electrified vehicle in 2025.
The shift comes at a time when the automotive market is increasingly leaning towards greener alternatives, and Ford is eager to catch up with competitors who have already embraced hybrid and electric technologies. The company’s best-selling models, such as the Ranger and Everest, are currently diesel-powered, highlighting the need for diversification in their offerings.
Simoes didn’t provide any clue as to which electrified models are coming. He also didn’t say whether they will be hybrid or full EVs, or both, but other markets do provide clue about what we can expect.
Electrified lineup for 2025
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is the first electrified model that came to mind when Simoes rolled out his announcement. This all-electric crossover has already gained traction in international markets, particularly in the US where Ford PH sources the Bronco, Mustang, and Explorer). Top Gear Philippines have also already uncovered LTO homologation papers for the Mustang Mach-E, with two variants—Premium and GT— already approved. The Mustang Mach-E GT is the hotter model that makes 480 horsepower and 815 Nm of torque, which can contend against brands like Tesla, MG, etc.
Ford could also introduce a Territory PHEV next year. Given this model’s popularity in the local market, this hybrid variant could attract environmentally conscious consumers looking for practicality without sacrificing performance. An Equator Sport PHEV was already introduced in China earlier this year, which can be rebadged for the local market as the Territory PHEV. This model utilizes a 1.5-liter engine combined with an electric motor, delivering a total output of 218 hp.
Ford may also introduce a Ford Ranger PHEV, but the company will need to wait until Ford Thailand gets the model before introducing it in the Philippines. Or maybe switch things up a bit and source the plug-in truck from South Africa. The Ranger PHEV is powered by a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine and an electric motor, with a combined output of 275 hp and 689 Nm of torque.
Lastly, but highly unlikely and more of a wishful thinking at this point, Ford could also introduce the Puma Gen-E, which made its debut recently in Europe. The Puma Gen-E would enhance Ford’s presence in the compact SUV market and cater to younger consumers looking for stylish yet efficient vehicles.
Although this model remains more speculative due to Ford Philippines’ sourcing practices primarily from Asia and US rather than the Old Continent, who knows? If the company suddenly changes its strategy when it comes to selling electrified models despite their increasing presence locally, maybe, just maybe, it will turn its attention to other markets.
