1000+ unique media and news posts every 24 hours…
One thing is clear: Ford is not in an easy situation. Sales in Europe are steadily declining and the decisions made by top management years ago have had a major impact on Ford’s model range. Former bestsellers such as the small Fiesta and the big Mondeo are no longer available, and the days of the Ford Focus are numbered: production in Saarlouis, Germany, will end in November 2025 and the factory will have to close. Ford builds in the Cologne factory electric SUVs based on the Volkswagen MEB instead of the Fiesta. They are not bad cars, but so far they are not a replacement for the Fiesta in terms of unit numbers. This is partly because there are comparable models from the VW Group, some for less money.
Enter the Puma Gen-E: the crossover series built in Craiova, Romania, has already become the brand’s bestseller in its first generation as a combustion engine and hybrid. So it makes sense to electrify the model. After all, Ford’s MEB models and the first Mustang Mach-E imported from Mexico have not really taken off in Europe until now.
It is unlikely to fail at least on appearance. It is – not surprisingly – a Puma with a closed radiator grille. Electric car purists will be annoyed by the long front end, which is unnecessary without a combustion engine on board. However, many customers do not want a futuristically designed electric car, but simply want to drive their favorite model with an electric drive – BMW and Stellantis sold many electric cars in this way. In the case of the Puma, Ford talks about the “customer-appreciated exterior design”, which has been “refined” – for example with the closed radiator grille, which is only outlined with a black element in the style of the Mustang Mach -EGT.
“Our customers love the design of the Puma,” says Amko Leenarts, Director of Design. “We built on this for the Puma Gen-E and developed our own style for it with exclusive details, without taking away from the brilliance of the original.”
The electric motor under the hood has a power of 123 kW and a torque of 290 Newton meters. This allows the Puma Gen-E to accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in 8.0 seconds (almost as fast as the most powerful combustion engine model) and reach a top speed of 160 km/h – more than enough performance data for an urban crossover, no . ask. With a WLTP consumption of 13.1 kWh/100 km, the drive system built by Ford in Halewood, UK is also characterized by very good efficiency – even though with the premium equipment consumption increases to 14.5 kWh/100 km: these are good grades.
One factor that will likely limit the Puma Gen-E’s customer base, despite the efficient drivetrain, is the battery. The Puma uses the same type of battery as its platform brothers, the E-Transit Courier And E-Tourneo courier, which also roll off the production line in Craiova. The 43 kWh battery with NMC cells in the Puma Gen-E provides a WLTP range of 347 to a maximum of 376 kilometers, depending on the equipment. While this is better than the panel vans (288 kilometers), it will likely put off some customers. If highway consumption rises towards or even slightly above 20 kWh/100 km in winter, the range will decrease noticeably. On most days of the year this will be more than sufficient – but cars are also purchased according to ‘maximum requirements’. If the vehicle is also purchased for holiday trips or longer excursions, many people drive around with a battery that is too large. And Ford does not offer the option to order a larger battery at additional cost.
However, the Puma Gen-E can score points with another feature: a very short charging time. Direct current flows into the 43 kWh battery with a maximum of 100 kW, and Ford specifies the charging time from ten to 80 percent at 23 minutes – or 23.2 minutes to be precise. Since 43 kWh is the usable net energy content, 30 kWh flows into the battery to go from 10 to 80 percent. The average charging power in this range is therefore 78 kW – a very respectable figure considering the size of the battery. The first tests will then show how well the Puma Gen-E performs on the highway with many but short charging stops.
Puma Gen-E | |
---|---|
Driving force | Come on |
Export | 123.5 kW |
Couple | 290 Nm |
Acceleration | 8.0 sec |
Top speed | 160 km/h |
WLTP range | 376 kilometers |
Battery | 43 kWh |
DC charging capacity | 100 kW |
Charging time DC 10-80% | 23 minutes |
Price | 36,900 euros |
Ford does not mention AC charging capacity in the press release. But as with the small van and the estate with a high roof, it will probably be eleven kilowatts – with a charging time of 5.5 hours from zero to 100 percent. There is also no mention of bi-directional charging capabilities, which is unlikely for the Puma Gen-E. Because Ford would certainly have mentioned it.
The fairly small battery has an advantage elsewhere: with an empty weight of 1,563 kilograms, the Puma Gen-E is relatively light. And it has no negative impact on the available space in the car; on the contrary, in the Gen-E, Ford was able to expand the ‘MegaBox’ storage compartment under the trunk, which is now advertised as the ‘GigaBox’. If you add this storage compartment under the boot floor, the Puma Gen-E fits 574 liters, roof high – when all five seats are occupied. The standard figure up to the height of the rear seat backs is still an impressive 523 liters. And that in a car of 4.21 meters long! For comparison: a nine centimeter longer Kia EV3 offers 460 liters, and an MG4 (4.28 meters) only 363 liters. The loading width between the wheel arches of an even meter and the loading depth of 72.5 centimeters to the backrest of the rear seat are also impressive.
The Puma Gen-E also has a 43-liter frunk under the hood. “It is ideal for the charging cable and detachable tow bar when the rear cargo area is already full,” Ford writes. The towbar is designed for a towing capacity of 750 kilograms, both braked and unbraked.
In the interior, the Gen-E offers basically the same features, apart from the center console, that were introduced with the facelift of the combustion models this year. There are two displays, namely a purely digital cockpit with a 12.8-inch driver display and a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen in the center. It runs on the latest version of Ford’s SYNC4 system with cloud-connected navigation. There’s also Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant or Apple CarPlay and Android Auto if users prefer their systems.
The center console makes the classic combustion engine gear lever redundant and thus offers more space for storage, such as an inductive charging box for smartphones. The gear selector is located behind the steering wheel in the Gen-E. According to Ford, it can be operated with the fingertips, making “engaging the appropriate gear as easy as activating the indicator.” The recovery can be set at four levels: from coasting to one-pedal driving.
“The Puma is a success story: our customers love its sporty design and dynamic driving characteristics, but also its unique functionality and the largest luggage space in its class,” emphasizes Jon Williams, Managing Director of Ford Blue and Model e in Europe. “With the Puma Gen-E we are now introducing the best Puma yet.”
Unfortunately, the Puma Gen-E is also one of the most expensive, with only the ST sports model being more expensive. The basic version starts at 36,900 euros – -8,000 euros more than the combustion model. However, a lease offer has also been announced from 299 euros per month. The Puma Gen-E will not have an easy time in the competitive environment. A VW ID.3 with 52 kWh net or 388 kilometers according to WLTP available for less than 30,000 euros; the Kia EV3 starts at a similar price of 35,990 euros – but offers more with 58 kWh and 436 kilometers. The Opel Frontera Electric, on the other hand, which has a similarly sized battery with 44 kWh, is considerably cheaper at 28,990 euros.
Source: Information by email; in German
1000+ unique media and news posts every 24 hours…