Ford rethinks EV strategy, is working on a smaller, cheaper EV platform
Ford now says mass-adoption needs EVs that cost the same as combustion cars.
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I hope they can pull it off.
I also hope that "small" means a Fiesta, but, knowing the US, the smallest I'm expecting is an Escape.
A Maverick EV seems like it could do well.
Yeah I would love to see Ford go back and dust off some of those sedan assembly lines. Like, what were they even thinking?
Yeah. I was so disappointed when they announced they were discontinuing all of their sedans in favor of those obnoxious-looking crossovers that look like, and are only slightly smaller than, the shoe that old lady used to live in.
Edit: As pointed out, I was mistaken and they're not too much larger than a sedan. I was recalling what I think were Ford's early concept models.
I drove a Ford Edge recently as a rental and Holy fuck it was the worst driving experience I've had in a vehicle.
And it has a massive touch screen that was a pain in the ass to operate in lieu of physical controls. Had to fumble around a touch screen to change the climate controls, not great on a highway!
Every SUV needs to be melted into scrap.
Auto manufacturers are terrible at writing software. For my next new car, I won’t even consider a car that doesn’t include CarPlay. That excludes several US brands, but oh well. That was their idiotic choice.
Lol first world problems.
Most definitely! I was laughing at myself as I wrote it, but posted it anyway.
Agreed!
I don't think crossovers aren't necessarily bad for size if you look at it's footprint. The Mach E has a shorter length than the last Fusion and the current Toyota Camry, and all 3 have about the same width (within 2.5 inches). Also, the Mach E also sits at about sedan-level.
I think the concept of a crossover is fine (I drive an older one), but the ever-growing boxy hoods and rising beltline make for worse visibility and pedestrian safety. I wish there were more new sedan, hatchback, and station wagon options instead of a vehicle size arms race.
Fair enough on the size (I recall Ford's being more SUV-sized, but that may have just been early concepts), but I still think they look like an ugly shoe. There are other makes/models that have similar designs, and I don't care for them either for the same reason.
Fully agree. I completely get the ugliness and think they just look awkward. I think the only redeeming part is that you have a larger "trunk"
'tis what a hot hatch is for.
Long story. But rumors were potential merger with VW. Or at least, heavy cooperation on platforms.
Currently VW Amarok is a Ford Ranger. Ford is helping VW further with commercial vehicles. In return Ford is getting EV platforms VW was already ahead on developing. Pandemic and other delays messed up product timelines though. To the point Ford decided recently they'd rather not be so dependent on VW.
But for next few years, if Ford releases a small EV, you can pretty much bet it's a VW MEB chassis underneath.
Seems a severe lack of estate cars and vans on the roads.
Have everything you need.
The weird thing is that gm and Honda were working together to do this too, but they cancelled their partnership last year because it was "too hard to do".
translated into ceo-speak: "we make more money selling these big monstrosities, and having a cheaper alternative would cut into that"
