The Blue Oval has embarked on an ambitious plan to transform its global vehicle lineup to a series of fully electric vehicles. A massive financial outlay will help make that happen, as will an entire new series of batteries, thus far dubbed Ford IonBoost. The substantial paradigm shift will see Ford Europe completely switch over to electric vehicles by 2030, while other regions like North America will eventually make the change at a later date. However, according to Ford CEO Jim Farley, future Ford EVs aren’t going to simply be electric variants of its existing lineup.
The @Chevrolet team could have just dropped a battery into an ICE vehicle and called it day. Instead they completely reimagined the #SilveradoEV using the Ultium platform. https://t.co/iy6x4Qj9wg
— General Motors (@GM) April 26, 2022
Farley didn’t really mince words when he spoke to the audience listening in on the Q1 2022 earnings call. “I want to be clear here that as we move forward, our EV designs will be progressive, and they’re going to be bringing new customers to Ford and Lincoln. They will not be electric versions of our existing lineup,” stated the CEO. What exactly does that mean though? For starters, it could be an indirect response to something General Motors posted to Twitter before the call that seemingly dunked on the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning for using roughly the same platform as its gasoline counterpart. That timid tweet came one day after the official start of regular Lightning production, or about one year ahead of the unimaginatively named Chevrolet Silverado EV, which will not arrive at dealers until 2023 at the earliest.
Even if Farley wanted to respond to his company’s cross town rival somewhat directly, his statement about future Ford EVs could still be quite literal and serve as an indictor as to how the company wants to reimagine its traditional nameplates. As Ford Authority previously outlined, The Blue Oval is currently developing two distinct EV platforms – one for crossover-like vehicles and another dedicated to full-size trucks and commercial vehicles. In that light, his statement could reflect the fact that electric variants of the Ford Explorer or the Ford Bronco will boast completely different architectures than their internal combustion counterparts.
Alternatively, his statement referencing upcoming Ford EVs could be more about aesthetic differences between gasoline models and their fully electric brethren, as both types of vehicles will be sold alongside one another until internal combustion is fully phased out. A prime example of what that could look like is the Lincoln Star concept, which the brand debuted last week. While it’s not a complete reimagination of the Quiet Luxury template, it heavily suggests that Lincoln EVs will look noticeably different than the models it currently offers.
At this point, it isn’t entirely clear if new or returning buyers would reject electric versions of Ford’s existing lineup. As Ford Authority previously reported, Ford Mustang Mach-E owners are extremely satisfied with their vehicles, while the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning has attracted buyers who have never purchased a FoMoCo product before. In any event, the company is definitely working on electric variants of its most popular nameplates, most notably the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator. Until they are fully revealed however, the big question will now apparently center on how different these future Ford EVs will be from their traditional counterparts.
We’ll have more on Ford’s EV pivot soon, so subscribe to Ford Authority for complete Ford news coverage.
Comments
Mach Es have tons of software issue, plus if you get in accident you will wait months for parts,
Consumer Reports rates MachE fairly highly and has not noted “tons of software issues” either in its tests or consumer surveys
My Mach-E has had real NO software or other issues in the months I have owned it. A few inconsistencies in the UI that are easy enough to workaround. It’s been a joy to own and drive so far!
You sound like 1 of GM or Chevrolet’s paid activist’s! I am commenting here because I don’t have Twitter, Chevrolet @ Chevrolet [all new Silverado] ha, you have been Making advertising adds like this for the last 15 years, all new Equinox or all new Corvette and only changed a piece of chrome, heck the Corvette used the same silver saddle cloth headliner it used in the Colbalt. What a buy!
But wasn’t the appeal and positive reception of the F-150 Lightning the fact that they just dropped a F-150 box on an EV frame? Ford is the leader in trucks. People like the truck designs for the most part. Why not continue to just “drop a battery in an ICE and call it a day” until it’s time for that particular truck’s redesign.
I believe every manufacture maybe eating it’s words by going all electric by certain dates. What I’m hearing by reading articles and forums that it maybe supply constraints and quality problems and now with inflation kicking in the doors on just about everything, the cost and issues to convert just maybe too aggressive at this time.
You are 100% correct. The 2023 Mach E will have a 5 to 10K price increase, production numbers will never meet their goal and the average Mach E owner has a $829.00 payment. Try selling that to middle class America.
What is your source for a price increase of $5K or $10K from 2022 to 2023 model year?
I haven’t found those amounts, though I have seen $1K to $2K noted from 2021 to 2022; see Ford Authority “2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E Prices Increased Across The Board” of Feb 18, 2022.
Currently, from reading the Mach E Forum (macheforum(dot)com) dealers are marking up the car several thousand dollars over MSRP. It appears that Ford is moving toward a set price for their electric vehicles, allowing Ford to capture the value that customers give to their cars.
Once there’s no longer a waiting list for battery electric vehicles (BEV), the price will adjust to the market. Either because people can’t afford it or there’s more competition. The transition to BEV won’t happen overnight, and all the existing ICE vehicles won’t evaporate overnight either.
GOOD LUCK, they cant even build the regular suv-trucks now all our lots are EMPTY compared to what it was 2 years ago.thats every dealer . we have a Maverick order in SEVEN months so far <NO MAVERICK in my driveway yet