Some of the Ford range at Autoparc.

A Ford in your future from Autoparc Cavan

It’s been a strong start to 2023 at Autoparc Cavan, according to Enda Crowe, with the move to hybrid and electric vehicles gathering momentum.

“There are a lot of inquiries about our plug-in hybrids especially the Ford Puma and Ford Kuga. Ford is going to have four brand-new electric vehicles on the market by January 2024. They’re going to have a full electric Puma and then they’re going to have three other brand-new models as well. The Ford Kuga runs on the battery for 57 kilometres before switching over to petrol. It has a capacity of 70 miles per gallon when combined with electricity,” he revealed.

Some older customers struggle to adapt to newer models when they switch to hybrid makes, but Enda feels the Ford Puma ensures an easier transition.

“Some hybrids have electric handbrakes and automatic gearboxes. If they are an older customer and are used to driving a manual car all their lives, this can be very difficult. The Ford Puma is a mild hybrid so it has a manual gearbox and an electric gearbox, which is a big bonus for some drivers.”

Enda says that electric cars will outstrip traditional models in the coming years.

“The technology of electric cars is always improving and it will catch up on other conventional cars soon. A lot of the manufacturers are trying to outdo each other,” he said.

While 231 registered cars are selling well, Enda is encouraging people order well in advance due to potential supply issues, in part due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Enda says a lot of car components such as screens and Ad Blue tanks are manufactured in Ukraine.

“It can take between 16 to 24 weeks [to get a new car]. Years ago you could come in the door and the car was either in the garage or in Cork in a compound. I’m telling people, if they want a car for 2024, they’ll need to get the order in by July, especially for commercial vehicles,” he advised.