2020 Ford Mustang Hybrid confirmed

Ford has promised its next-generation Mustang will be electrifying - literally.

The American car maker has confirmed development plans for 13 new hybrid or fully electric vehicles over the next five years.

A hybrid-powered Mustang will launch in 2020 with what Ford describes as V8-like levels of performance, although it has yet to outline any further details of the powertrain.

It will be joined by a hybrid version of the F-150 pick-up in North America and the Transit commercial van in Europe as well as an as-yet un-named electric compact SUV which Ford says will deliver a range between battery re-charges of 480km, plus a high-volume autonomous vehicle exclusively developed for commercial ride sharing.

And in news which should be of interest to law enforcement agencies in Australia - currently considering replacements for Commodore and Falcon - Ford is developing two new electric pursuit-rated Police vehicles.

Ford's first hybrid version of the F-150 pickup will be made at the historic Dearborn, Michigan assembly plant, and initial markets in 2020 will include North America and the Middle East. Ford says the hybrid F-150 will operate as a mobile generator and also offer the towing and payload capacities buyers of America's best-selling vehicle demand.

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Before all that, in 2019, Ford will roll-out a plug-in hybrid version of its top-selling Transit Custom commercial van in European markets.

Ford currently has a fleet of 20 Transit Connect hybrid vans testing as taxis in New York City and other major U.S. locations.

It also confirmed it is developing hybrid versions of turbocharged EcoBoost engines as well as electric vehicle support systems in telematics, fleet management and route planning.

In addition, in-ground wireless re-charging is currently being tested by Ford in both North America and Europe.

Ford is part of the conglomerate of vehicle manufacturers creating fast-charging stations across Europe. Initially 400 sites have been targeted with the goal of having thousands of high-powered charging points by 2020.

Ford has allocated $US4.5-billion for electric vehicle development by 2020.

The plans were announced at Ford's plant in Flat Rock, Michigan which is to receive a $US700-million upgrade to handle production of the electric vehicles and future autonomous vehicles. Some 700 new jobs will also be created at the plant which currently builds the Mustang and Lincoln Continental.

The news isn't so good for Mexico with Ford confirming the extra investment in Flat Rock means the proposed $US1.6-billion new plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico will not be proceeding. However production of the next generation North American Focus has been confirmed for the existing Mexican plant in Hermosillo.

Shifting Focus production to Mexico from the Wayne, Michigan plant will enable that facility to gear-up for production of two new vehicles.

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