Ford Planning Prius Fighter, Report Says

Ford plans to launch a new dedicated hybrid in late 2018 as a ’19 model to compete with the top-selling Toyota Prius, Reuters reports.

The unnamed hybrid could be offered in several different body styles, following the strategy of Toyota and its Prius variants.

Codenamed C240, the vehicle will be built on Ford’s C2 architecture, which also will underpin the next-generation Focus C-car and Escape CUV. Multiple powertrains could be offered, including a plug-in hybrid version, Reuters says.

The new model is to be built at Ford’s Wayne, MI, assembly plant, alongside the Ford Focus. Volumes of the hybrid are expected to be 120,000 annually.

Ford currently sells the C-Max, a dedicated hybrid and plug-in hybrid in the U.S., but offers gasoline and diesel versions of the car in European markets. It would appear the new hybrid is likely to replace the C-Max.

The C-Max has lagged behind the Prius in U.S. deliveries. Last year, C-Max U.S. sales were 35,210, compared to 192,249 Prius deliveries, according to WardsAuto data. Through July, C-Max sales plummeted 28.6% to 16,444, while Prius dropped 12.8% to 103,793.