Ted Cannis is Ford’s global electric vehicle chief, and he recently went on the record talking about Ford’s electrification plans and why Ford has chosen this exact moment for the launch of its first dedicated electric vehicle with the Mustang-inspired EV. Ford is dedicating vast amounts of resources to electric vehicles and plans several for the U.S. and Europe.
Cannis says the reason that Ford is investing so much into EVs right now when they account for so little of the business is that the growth is coming and the right time to invest is now. He mentions that the cost of entire powertrains, and not just the batteries, isn’t cheap now, but it’s not prohibitive, either.
Ted Cannis also noted some of what we already know about the Mustang-inspired EV. He says that the EV, expected to be called the Mach-E, will go for over 300 miles per charge. Not long ago, we got our best look yet at the Mach-E in testing with mild camo. Ford is also working on an electric version of the F-150 truck.
According to Cannis, 300 miles is going to be a magic number. Most won’t need that much range, but he says that it will give people the ability to go on trips if they want. When asked if he sees the cost of an EV being on par with the cost of a car with an internal-combustion engine, he says that day is coming. He also notes that Ford will play to its strengths meaning commercial vans, pickups and performance cars.
When questioned about Ford siding with California in emissions, Cannis notes that Ford has done internal deep-dive studies with scientists and believes the climate map. He says that there is real capability to offer new products, but it will be demand-driven, not regulatory driven.
Subscribe to Ford Authority for more SEMA news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
Source: The New York Times
Comments
at one point the combustible engine vehicle did not seem realistic. These bumbling machines without lights, ac, etc sporting only wooden wheels needed much better roads than the thin muddy trails they had. but the country made the roads regardless. Does Ford have the same resources and determination to do that with the electric charging grid? i think time will be a big factor. how quickly can the charging stations come out. imagine getting to the only charging station in 50 miles and a line of 20 cars in front of you waiting for 4 terminals. AAA will probably benefit from early EV ownership inconveniences.
The grid and number of charging stations can remain as it is. The great majority of present and future EV owner will recharge overnight in their homes, not on the road. An EV uses less power to charge than an air conditioning unit, and many homes already have photoelectric power systems, getting free energy from the Sun. So we EV owners need not worry about charging outside and wasting time as gasoline consumers do now.
If EV are to replace combustible engines, the charging grid will need to expand. I live in a small country town that is a popular tourism destination. There arent any charging stations in an hour drive in any direction. Its only near the big cities that i have seen charging stations for those making long distance trips or traveling away from home days at a time. I havent seen any hotels with charging ports in the parking lots yet either
An hour’s drive at 70 mph won’t tax a battery electric vehicle having a 300 mile range. Last month (October 2019), Ford released a press statement: “Ford is offering its all-electric vehicle customers North America’s largest electric vehicle public charging network, with more than 12,000 places to charge, including fast charging, and more than 35,000 charge plugs – more than any other automotive manufacturer, addressing a big concern for those switching to all-electric cars.” Have you consulted the website PlugShare? PlugShare displays a map showing locations of not only commercial charging stations, but of residences willing to ‘share’ their electricity with electric vehicles. Besides hotels, look for auto dealerships, gasoline stations near expressways, restaurants near expressways and major retail merchants such as Walgreens. Saavy EV owners will carry their EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) on a trip and along with multiple adaptors, can recharge from virtually any electrical outlet, from 15 amp to 50 amp.
I’m going to be listening got the big thud when all of these new EV vehicles hit the market and fall on their face. These investments in EV’s will go down in history as the biggest squandering of money in Ford history. If you think the Edsel was a dud, just wait for these.
if you get a chance to test drive a Tesla, or any of the ford EVs, don’t hesitate. Everyone i know that owns a Tesla loves them. Fast & torque-y with an operating cost of about a $1.33 a day on top of their electric bill.
I dont think EVs will die out. More people are buying EVs than vehicles with manual transmissions
Tom so you think VW, BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, GM, Ford etc. & of course Tesla who all have made huge investments in EV’s are wasting their money. Really? Think of all the benefits of EV’s no oil changes, no gasoline, no valve jobs or piston rings a lot less maintenance in general. What impact will it have on the geopolitical landscape of the constant strife in the middle east due in large part to OIL. Any homeowner who has installed solar panels will significantly reduce their operating costs, easier transition to AV’s.
The picture of the Ford EV test car looks like a Buick.
How many EV’a have been sold due to the significant tax credit. For a country $23 trillion in debt why are we giving tax credits for these novelties? I can spend 5 minutes filling my gasoline engine automobile, drive it 350 miles, get off the highway and refill it in 10 minutes and be back on the road. Any bets on these EV’s driving through the night in 10 degree weather going 300 miles.
If you think I’m wrong about these EV’s, you should’ve buying up Ford stock at its current bargain basement price. We’ll see what happens, but I’ll be damned if I would have cancelled all sedans ( giving up that market share) to pay for this folly!
I don’t know how many EVs have been sold in the United States. In the U.S., transportation is the largest contributor of GHG (greenhouse gasses) due to the burning of fossil fuels. Addressing the detrimental results of climate change are and will be more expensive than reducing the carbon (from CO2) that humans pump into the atmosphere. In 1896, Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius used physical chemistry to calculate the effect that increasing levels of CO2 had on the earth’s temperature. In 1903 he won the Nobel Prize in chemistry. In 1982, Exxon Mobil scientists predicted the global temperature increase and total atmospheric concentration of CO2 that we experience today in 2019. But they kept that understanding to themselves. In 1993, President Clinton created a program challenging the ‘Big Three’ automakers to develop an automobile capable of up to 80 mpg. In 2006, President Bush stated, “America is addicted to oil” and insisted the United States “break this addiction,” but did little to aid that pursuit. President Obama did more and now president Trump insists on undoing the same. Altogether, fossil fuel producers continue funding campaigns to discredit climate change, fuel efficiency and in general, creating ‘spin’ to keep their profits flowing: https://cleantechnica.com/2018/03/10/electric-car-myth-buster-efficiency/