Ford Motor Co. is expected to build an electric version of its top-selling Lincoln Corsair crossover at its Oakville, Ont., assembly plant starting in 2026, according to a vehicle forecasting company.
According to AutoForecast Solutions LLC, the vehicle will be known as the Corsair-E and will be built on a dedicated EV platform. Production is projected to start in September 2026.
“At this point, we’re not sure if it will completely replace the Corsair or if there will be an equivalent gas-powered Corsair. But they would be on two different platforms,” said Sam Fiorani, vice-president of global vehicle forecasting for AutoForecast Solutions.
A Ford spokeswoman said the company does not comment on future products.
The Corsair-E is the first vehicle name to be connected to Ford’s planned C$1.8 billion ($1.4 billion) investment, which was announced last year during labor negotiations with Unifor. Ford plans to retool the Oakville plant starting in 2024 to allow for EV production there.
According to Unifor, Ford is expected to build five EV models at the plant, with production of the first vehicle starting as soon as 2025 and the final arriving by 2028. The plant currently builds the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus crossovers.
Fiorani said he expects all EVs assembled at the Oakville plant to be built on the same electric platform as the Corsair-E. He said the plant is expected to build a mix of Ford and Lincoln products.
The current-generation Corsair, formerly known as the MKC, is Lincoln’s top-selling model in the U.S. and Canada. Lincoln sold 26,227 Corsair crossovers in the U.S. in 2020 -- a year-over-year gain of 1.6 percent. Lincoln Canada sold 2,023 of the crossovers during that time, down 19 percent from 2019.
A plug-in hybrid model, called the Corsair Grand Touring, is expected to go on sale this year. Models currently on sale are powered by a standard 2.0-liter engine or an available 2.3-liter.
Automotive News has reported that the Corsair, built in Louisville Assembly in Kentucky, is expected to be freshened in 2022, followed by a redesign in 2024.
