Compact electric car from 2026: Will the Ford Fiesta return?

Ford is researching a new platform for its most affordable models.

By: Alberto Carmone

Jul 30, 2024 at 4:36am ET

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The history of the Ford Fiesta came to an end in July 2023 when the last vehicle of the current generation was produced. But what happened a year ago may have been only a temporary 'goodbye' and not a real farewell.

According to Autocar, the American company's plans include the arrival of several compact models from 2026 onwards, all based on a new platform.

Gallery: Ford Fiesta (1976-2023)

A new family

The development of the new architecture has been entrusted to Alan Clarke, a former Tesla engineer. Based on this platform, new compact and more economical models are planned, positioned below the Explorer, Capri, and Mustang Mach-E.

According to what has been revealed by Marin Gjaja, Chief Operating Officer of Ford's Model E division, the first car based on the new platform will arrive between the end of 2026 and the beginning of 2027, and will first make its debut in the United States, before being sold in Europe as well.

Ford Fiesta restyling (2022)

Ford Puma restyling 2024

This first model could be the new generation of the Puma, while at the moment we can only speculate what the other products will be.

However, Gjaja's conviction is that "over time, electric cars will get smaller and smaller," which is why it is easy to imagine a real family of compact cars. And a return of the Fiesta, a historic name for the brand, perhaps even more so than the Mustang, Capri and Explorer, at least in relation to the sales achieved over the decades.

A specialised team

The resources deployed by Ford for this platform are considerable. A recent report by the US website TechCrunch revealed that the team working on the architecture amounts to around 300 people. They include engineers from Tesla, Rivian, and Apple, and even Formula 1 aerodynamicists.

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As for the powertrain, Gjaja explains that the new architecture will probably use the low-cost lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery technology, which is rapidly becoming dominant in electric vehicles.

Furthermore, the shapes of these future Fords "will not be conventional" and will be "differentiated" in their respective segments. All that remains is to wait for the next developments to see what direction the US brand's plans will take.