The current advice from Ford is that you can still use the car as a 'mild hybrid'. This means driving it in Auto EV mode rather than charging it. This will give you a small bit of charge (less than 1%) to get some assistance around town but the majority of work will be done by the petrol engine. We've included the latest statement from Ford below.

"The safety of our customers is a top priority. We realise that vehicle recalls are inconvenient to customers, but they assure vehicle quality and safety in service. As part of our commitment to safety, Ford is temporarily suspending the sale of all Kuga PHEV vehicles to address a potential concern with the high voltage battery, which in certain circumstances could possibly result in a fire in the battery area.

"Customers currently in possession of any Kuga PHEV are advised to not charge their vehicles and to only drive in EV Auto mode until repair work is completed by their Ford dealer. It is important to stress that the vehicles remain safe to drive in EV Auto mode.
This latest action includes all Kuga PHEVs built to date, many of which have already been reworked by a Ford dealer.

"Owners are being individually contacted. We also will discuss with them as soon as possible when to schedule the rework at their chosen dealership once a complete and approved update is in place.

"We apologise for the concern this issue is causing and thank our customers for their patience and co-operation. We will take care of our Kuga PHEV owners and are looking at ways to improve customer experience during this difficult situation, including providing an extended warranty or maintenance service provision, depending on market.

"We remain committed to providing safe and high-quality vehicles, addressing potential issues and responding quickly. Should customers have any additional concerns, we ask them to contact the Ford Customer Contact Centre on 020 3564 4444."