Ford Australia has cancelled its plans to introduce the just revealed Puma Gen-E small electric SUV as part of its ongoing electrification strategy, following confirmation of the new Transit Custom Plug-in Hybrid commercial van.
Initially promised for a late-2024 launch in Australia, the new Puma Gen-E was meant to carry the torch for the small crossover nameplate Down Under after the Blue Oval announced early this year it was axing the petrol-powered range.
It was set to be one of five electrified models – including plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles (PHEVs and EVs) – that Ford said it would offer Down Under before the end of 2024.
“Since we announced that the Puma Gen-E would join the Ford Australia lineup in early 2023, the EV market, in particular for small SUVs, has changed significantly,” said Ford Australia’s marketing boss Ambrose Henderson in a media release.
“There are many factors that influence whether a vehicle’s business case stacks up – such as economic trends, material costs, consumer incentives and global supply chain – and after weighing these up, we took the call that we were better to focus our electrified lineup on other models.”
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It also spells the end of the reborn Puma nameplate in Australia, after a four-year run with the European-sourced compact crossover that revived the badge worn by the Blue Oval’s teeny sports coupe of the late ’90s and early ’00s.
Furthermore, it leaves Ford Australia with no passenger models positioned below the Everest large off-road SUV and the slow-selling Mustang Mach-E electric SUV.
Its sole surviving ‘car’ is the Mustang coupe and convertible, and the Everest Ambiente RWD is now its most affordable new SUV on sale, priced from $54,240 before on-road costs.
The death of the little Puma in Australia follows Ford Australia’s decision to axe the larger Escape mid-sized SUV at the tail end of 2023, as well as the long-running Focus and Fiesta hatchbacks back in 2022 – like the Puma, all were sourced from European factories.
Ford Australia’s remaining lineup focuses heavily on commercial vehicles and SUVs, with the exception of the Mustang that competes in the niche sports car segment (0.8 per cent share, YTD).
The light and medium SUV segments that Ford’s local arm no longer plays in represent 4.5 per cent and 22.7 per cent share of the overall market respectively, compared to the 16.9 per cent and 2.2 per cent shares held by 4WD utes and commercial vans, respectively (YTD as of October 31, 2024).
E-Transit 
E-Transit Custom 
Ranger PHEV 
Transit Custom PHEV
As for electrification, Ford’s local division will finally offer five electrified vehicles by this time in 2025 – the existing E-Transit and Mustang Mach-E EVs will be joined by the Ranger PHEV and the electric E-Transit Custom in the earlier stages of 2025, before the Transit Custom PHEV arrives “in mid-2025”.
The Mustang Mach-E will also be updated for model year 2025 (MY25) in line with last month’s overseas announcement, though it won’t arrive in Australian showrooms until the second half of 2025.
“Ford Australia remains fully committed to offering low- or zero-emissions vehicles to Australians, particularly in the commercial sector,” said Mr Henderson.
“While much focus has been put on electrifying vehicles favoured by private buyers, it’s also vital that Australia’s businesses are not left behind in the electric transition.
“Ford Australia is dedicated to offering vehicles that not only allow them to get their jobs done but also lower their emissions in the process.”
RIP
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