By Gerry Murphy

Recently it has been hard to figure out what Ford were doing with the brand. They got rid of the Fiesta, and are parking the Focus, leaving them with just the Puma, the Kuga and two large electric SUVs in their catalogue.

To be fair, Ford did reveal plans to go all-electric and they have now revealed the latest member of its electric vehicle line-up – the all-electric Puma Gen-E – bringing zero emission driving to Ford’s best-selling car in Europe for the first time.

The electric Puma Gen-E has a new electric powertrain offering up to 376km on a full charge so that long journeys are well within reach; while up to 523km of city range means days of charge-free urban trips. At least these figures demonstrate a real-life difference between long journeys and shorter urban use.

Connected to a fast charger, a 10% to 80% charge takes approximately 23 minutes, while seamless acceleration of 0-100 km/h in 8.0 seconds and quicker steering response delivers the essence of Puma ST in electric form.

Ford bosses say the car offers even greater space for goodies with their innovative MegaBox boot storage space being boosted to become GigaBox, meaning up to 574 litres of room for luggage with the rear seats in place. A 43-litre front carrying area makes good use of the space vacated by the petrol engine, ideal for storing accessories so they can be retrieved even if the boot is full.

The familiar exterior design comes with some new twists that make it more distinctive and aerodynamic. A ‘shield’ design replaces the conventional grille, giving a fresh face and taking inspiration from the Ford Mustang Mach-E. You also get a rear spoiler and unique alloy wheel designs.

Inside, Ford’s latest generation SYNC 4 infotainment system has cloud-connected navigation; wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard; and there is Alexa Built-in and wireless phone charging.

Puma Gen-E also makes driving easier in and out of the city. A simplified electronic shifter behind the steering wheel makes switching between drive, neutral and reverse as effortless as reaching for the indicators, with fingertip control. Selectable one-pedal driving makes floating through city traffic even more convenient no matter which of the four drive modes you are cruising in.

Optional Dynamic Matrix LED headlight technology uses Predictive Dynamic Bending Light to monitor the road ahead and shine more light where it’s needed most, and adjusts the beam pattern for the best view whether crossing the city or on an unlit road.

Here in Ireland prices for the Puma Gen-E start at €32,916 and is available to order from now with deliveries beginning in Spring 2025.

Pictured: The new Ford Puma Gen-E.