Ford Galaxy and S-MAX look safe for now as Ford announces HYBRID powertrains

Ford is investing £36 million in its Plant in Valencia, Spain, to produce not just Kuga hybrids but hybrid versions of the Galaxy and S-Max.

What exactly Ford’s lineup in the UK and Europe will look like in a few years is anyone’s guess, but you can be pretty sure it will be predominantly SUVs, with a smattering of Hatches and the Mustang, including the new electric Mustang SUV.

Likely to disappear in to history are the Mondeo – becoming, perhaps, a big brother to the new Ford Puma – and, or so we’ve thought, the Galaxy and S-Max MPVs.

But Ford has kept us guessing a bit on the fate of the Galaxy and S-Max – whose sales are hugely less than they once were – and a bit of a titivate last year for the Galaxy and S-Max meant they would be around for a bit longer yet.

That ‘bit longer’ now looks to be a bit longer more, as Ford announce that they are investing another £36 million in their plant in Valencia which will, from the end of this year, churn out not just the new Kuga Hybrid and Mondeo Hybrid but also hybrid versions of the Galaxy and S-Max. So we must assume Ford will be keeping the Galaxy and S-Max for a few more years yet at least.

Ford say the Galaxy and S-Max Hybrids will use the same powertrain as the new Kuga Hybrid, and that they’re aiming for around 197bhp, 155lb/ft of torque and around 140g/km emissions, with in-gear acceleration the equivalent of the 2.0 litre EdoDiesel models, from the 2.5 litre Atkinson Cycle petrol engine, electric motor, generator and lithium-ion battery combo.

Ford also say the required batteries won’t encroach on space, with both five and seven seat versions of the S-Max, and the seven-seat Galaxy, having exactly the same space as non-hybrid versions.

Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe, said:

With electrification fast becoming the mainstream, we are increasing our investment in Valencia to provide even more electrified models and powertrain options for our customers.

By making it easier than ever to transition into an electrified vehicle, we expect the majority of our passenger vehicle sales to be electrified by the end of 2022.