What's the news?
Ford has announced seven of the 13 new global electrified vehicles it plans to produce in the next five years - and among their number are a fully electric SUV... and a hybrid version of the company's iconic Mustang.
The Blue Oval will invest $700 million (€672.4m) in its Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan for a factory that will build autonomous and electric vehicles, alongside the Mustang and Lincoln Continental.
Other motors confirmed by Ford were a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Transit Custom van, a hybrid version of the F-150 pick-up, a pair of new pursuit-rated police hybrids for use in the US, and a high-volume autonomous vehicle designed for commercial ride hailing or ride sharing - all of which will be on sale somewhere in the world by 2021.
For now, we shouldn't get too excited, as the only ones confirmed for the European market are the electric SUV and the Transit PHEV - but there's nothing to say that should the Mustang, which is said to 'deliver V8 power and even more low-end torque', couldn't come here if it was a success in its homeland.
The expansion of Flat Rock will result in an additional 700 jobs, while Ford is chucking $4.5 billion (€4.32bn) into EVs by 2020. As part of its announcement, Ford also confirmed that its global utility line-up will be its first hybrids powered by turbocharged EcoBoost units, rather than normally aspirated engines, in order to further improve performance and economy.
Anything else?
Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO, said: "As more and more consumers around the world become interested in electrified vehicles, Ford is committed to being a leader in providing consumers with a broad range of electrified vehicles, services and solutions that make people's lives better. Our investments and expanding line-up reflect our view that global offerings of electrified vehicles will exceed gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 15 years."