New Ford Puma Gen-E: best-selling SUV to go electric

• Electric variant to join petrol Puma
• Likely to have a 134bhp motor
• Full reveal later this year

Ford has confirmed that its all-electric variant of the Puma will be revealed later this year and will be called the Ford Puma Gen-E. The petrol-powered Puma is already one of our favourite SUVs and family car buyers seem to agree – it topped UK sales charts for 2023.

The upcoming electric variant will only widen the Puma’s appeal to those who fancy the idea of zero-emissions driving, while it should maintain the practicality and fun driving experience that has made the current model so popular.

What do we know so far about the Ford Puma Gen-E? 

The Puma Gen-E will join the Mustang Mach-E and soon-to-be-released Explorer models in Ford’s electric lineup. Unlike those two cars, the Puma Gen-E won’t be based on a dedicated EV platform. Instead, it will share its underpinnings with the regular petrol Puma but with an electric motor and battery setup in place of the engine. 

This platform, known as ‘B2E’ in technical-speak, also happens to be shared with the latest Ford Transit Courier van. An electric version of this van – called the E-Transit Courier – is coming soon, too, and we already know some technical details. This gives us a good idea of what will be powering the Puma Gen-E, even though Ford has remained tight-lipped so far.

There’s a fair probability that the Puma Gen-E will use the same 134bhp electric motor as the E-Transit Courier, powering the front wheels. The electric van also gets one-pedal driving capabilities and 100kW rapid-charging, so we can expect both of these features to find their way into the electric Puma. There’s no word yet on battery size, but a figure of around 50kWh to 60kWh would be on par with the Puma Gen-E’s rivals like the Jeep Avenger. 

A battery of that size would likely give the Puma Gen-E a range of over 250 miles – not class-leading, but enough to keep it competitive against the likes of the Volvo EX30 and Peugeot E-2008.

What will the Ford Puma Gen-E look like?

Ford hasn’t released any official images of the Puma Gen-E yet, but we can safely assume that it won’t be a grand departure from the current petrol model. Our exclusive image previews the external design, showing a blanked-off front grille to improve its aerodynamic efficiency.

The petrol Puma was facelifted in early 2024, bringing a new daytime-running light design as well as a tweaked front bumper. The electric Puma will arrive with this fresh look, sans exhaust pipe and front grille, of course.

What do we know about the Ford Puma Gen-E’s interior?

The updated interior from the facelifted petrol Puma will be carried over to the electric model, complete with its new 12-inch infotainment screen with Ford’s latest SYNC 4 system. The move to a larger screen keeps the Puma’s interior looking modern, but at the cost of physical buttons – the climate controls will be operated through a touchscreen menu.

Fortunately, Amazon Alexa is built into the Puma’s voice commands, so drivers should be able to control everything from the seat heating to the radio volume without having to use the touchscreen. The driver will get a 12.8-inch digital display for all the important driving information, in place of traditional analogue dials.

How much will the Puma Gen-E cost and when can I order one?

With no official pricing available yet, our best estimate would place the Puma Gen-E at around the £35,000 mark. That would be in line with key rivals, while costing around £10,000 more than the entry-level petrol Puma. The full reveal is scheduled for later this year when we’ll receive more information on specs, pricing and availability.

What does this mean for car buyers?

The Ford Puma has proved immensely successful for the American brand, with more examples sold than any other car in the UK in 2023. Since the Ford Fiesta hatchback was discontinued, the Puma has taken its place as Ford’s best-value family car, offering impressive practicality and a fun driving experience.

If the Ford Puma Gen-E can deliver these same qualities at a price that represents good value in the electric family car market, it’s likely to find many buyers, too. Those looking for a small electric SUV will have one more to choose from in what’s quickly shaping up to be a fiercely competitive market. 

Check out our list of the best electric cars currently on sale...