As Ford Authority reported last week, The Blue Oval recently opted to make some changes in regard to the development of its FNV4 (fully-networked vehicle) architecture, and in that regard, another report indicated that the project had been canceled. According to the original report, delays and soaring costs are what sealed the architecture’s fate, but learnings from the program will be used in its current software program. However, it seems as if there’s a bit more to the story than that.
For starters, Ford is developing its own, separate architecture that will be utilized in the company’s forthcoming low-cost EVs riding on a new platform in development by its skunkworks team, a fact that Ford spokesperson Emma Bergg confirmed to Ford Authority. “In parallel, our next generation advanced electric vehicle platform (known as Skunkworks project) has given us the freedom to reinvent from the ground up and create a next-gen zonal architecture, with massive hardware simplification and a nimble, in-house software platform suited for our future affordable electric vehicles,” Bergg said.
Ford’s skunkworks EV team is using a streamlined process to develop that particular platform, which is set to underpin a handful of future models, potentially – starting with a mid-size pickup. Those models will be a bit more simplistic in nature, with Ford CEO Jim Farley recently confirming that they won’t be sold with things like Level 3 autonomous driving technology. As far as the fate of its FNV architecture goes, it hasn’t simply been canceled – rather, the automaker is focusing on combining its learnings.
“We simply made a decision to merge two of our electrical architectures into a common electrical architecture for use across many more vehicles, across all powertrain types, to have the connected digital experiences that have been so well received in products like the F-150, Mustang Mach-E and Lincoln Nautilus and Navigator, while many others in the industry are bringing the most advanced tech only to EVs,” Bergg added. “Now, future EVs AND vehicles like Bronco, Mustang, Super Duty, Ranger and Transit will have those capabilities too.”
“We are migrating the most important parts of FNV4 (module software and controlling it from central locations where we have control) and the work done on, for example, OTA, to a common architecture. We are gaining the ability to deploy advanced software features like our new in-vehicle infotainment and advanced BlueCruise across not only all new electric vehicles but also our high-volume gas and hybrid vehicles like Bronco, Mustang, Super Duty, Ranger and Transit.” As Ford Authority previously reported, the FNV architecture is already in use in a handful of newer models, including the refreshed 2025 Ford Explorer and the 2023 and up Ford Super Duty.
Comments
Long promised and still not here. It was supposed to be an EV for 25k but went u[ shortly after to 30k bet it’s 40k at launch. Another EV fail
They keep talking about this team and how they are working on this affordable EV. But after reading this, it will be a stripped down vehicle, so they can “save cost”, which in turn will be cheaper for the consumer.
How is it that other OEMs can offer an affordable EV with a ton of features and Ford can’t?
Ford is still confused on their path for EVs, as they haven’t released a new vehicle in years. They have two consumer EVs and nothing in site. Cadillac alone has 6 already and a super high end 7th one coming out (the CELESTIQ). Ford said no one would want a 3-row EV. Cadillac has three 3-row high end EV SUVs and I see a good amount of them on the row.
Ford can’t get market share, if they don’t have any offerings.