The model is priced from £28,500 including the £5,000 UK Government Plug-in Car Grant and features a electric motor and lithium-ion battery that offers 140bhp, a top speed of 85mph and a driving range of 100 miles. Charging on a standard 13-amp home charging cable takes 10-11 hours while a 32-amp dedicated fast charge station is also available and provides reduced charge times of 3-4 hours.

The car will initially be introduced in low volumes, responding to interest from fleet customers.

Ford’s line-up of electrified vehicles in Europe also includes the C-MAX Energi (not initially planned for RHD markets) – Ford’s first production plug-in hybrid which is set to provide CO2 emissions below 50g/km and to run in pure electric mode for more than 18 miles – and the Fusion Hybrid, which combines an internal combustion engine with an electric motor and battery, and is capable of reaching 85mph on electric power alone. This will come to Europe as the Mondeo Hybrid with targeted fuel economy of above 64mpg and CO2 emissions below 99g/km.

‘Ford is leveraging our global experience and expertise to roll-out a range of electrified vehicles that offers a wide and compelling power of choice,’ said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe. ‘European customers care deeply about the environment and are increasingly seeing electrified vehicles as a way of balancing those concerns with a commitment to car ownership.’