DETROIT: Ford has announced plans to offer at least one electric drive option for each of its major product lines in future, with mild hybrids arriving first on the Fiesta and Focus (above) in early 2020.

To this end, the Blue Oval is adding a 48-volt electric starter generator to its 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.

The mild hybrid tech above all come into play when starting and during prolonged start-stop phases, while also helping to recover more energy during braking, Ford says.

These mild hybrid motors will significantly reduce fuel consumption, with the Fiesta needing just 4.9 litres and the larger Focus 4.7 litres/100km. This corresponds to CO2 values of 112 and 106 g/km.

However, Ford has not yet announced which performance levels these "EcoBoost Hybrid" engines can reach or what speeds are possible.

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