Aston Martin To Go Full Hybrid, Ford To Add Hybrid SUVs

Aston Martin says that all of its vehicles will be available with gas-electric hybrid powertrains by the middle of the next decade.

Andy Palmer, CEO of the British prestige automaker, revealed the company's plan in an interview with the Financial Times, putting Aston on a similar path to Sweden's Volvo, which recently announced a plan to go all-hybrid by 2019.

Aston's pronouncement differs only in that hybrid power will be an option in its models, alongside traditional gasoline engines, whereas Volvo's lineup will be exclusively powered by blended drivetrains.

Moving away from pure combustion-powered vehicles seems a wise plan, given two of Europe's largest economies - Britain and France - have pledged bans on their sale by 2040, and Germany is considering similar legislation.

Notably, Aston says it will develop its hybrid drive systems in-house, a big deal for a company that specializes in pricey, low-volume vehicles.

Meanwhile, Automotive News says former Aston owner Ford looks set to add four hybrid SUVs to its model range by the end of this decade in the form of the compact Escape and full-size Expedition, and the upscale Lincoln MKC and Navigator. That quartet comprise the first of Ford's push to add 13 electrified models to its lineup in the next five years. While the larger models are likely to be traditional hybrids, the Escape and MKC will be plug-in models capable of short-distance driving on electricity alone.