Ford is finally getting serious about EVs with massive investment

[raadsel]

From an article in Technobuffalo: 

 

"Ford is dramatically shifting its focus to EVs over the next four years with a planned $11 billion investment in developing 40 hybrid and fully electric vehicles by 2022.

 

"The news was shared by Chairman Bill Ford at the Detroit Auto Show. Originally, Ford was targeting an investment of $4.5 billion into alternative fuel cars by 2020. The huge shift highlights the pressure Ford is under with every other major car manufacturer already making similar investments into EVs and hybrids. Much of Ford’s invesment will go into crafting the architecture for electric vehicles."

 

Apparently 40 cars are now in development, 16 of them EVs, and the rest will be hybrids; this includes an F-150 and an SUV. I believe the number previously reported was 30 cars in development.

[SnowStorm]

Ah - you beat me to it!  Here's a link from across the pond. Other points:

• "Mr Ford said the focus would be on electrifying existing Ford models without naming any specific cars."
• "...we're taking our mainstream vehicles, our most iconic vehicles, and we're electrifying them."
• "Volkswagen said in November it would spend $40bn on electric cars, autonomous driving and new mobility services by the end of 2022"
• Watch the teaser video in this link on Ford's "Mach 1" all-electric SUV.  Love the snow!  Sure hope this SUV turns out to be what the Tesla Model X should have been!  Find out in 2020.

Did someone say "The ICE Age Is Ending"?

Now where does that Model E fit in?

Edited January 16, 2018 by SnowStorm

[obob]

After seeing what Chinese competition has done in the solar field, I am not too optimistic for the US car manufacturers, but I think they know what they are up against.

 

https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/09/17/why-china-is-crushing-the-us-in-solar-energy.aspx

 

"This wouldn't be possible without state-run banks in China handing out loans. These loans aren't earned with profits from operations, which are almost nonexistent, but are rather used as a way to increase China's manufacturing expansion and jobs. The U.S. government could give the industry similar support, but it doesn't."

 

I see China's combination of free enterprise and dictatorship along with a LOT of people overwhelms our system .

 

It's not really a level playing field.

 

Tesla is kind of a blessing because it puts the US industry on alert earlier than if they waited for Chinese competition.

 

For Star Trek fans, it reminds me of Q introducing Picard to the Borg.

Edited January 16, 2018 by obob

[raadsel]

After seeing what Chinese competition has done in the solar field, I am not too optimistic for the US car manufacturers, but I think they know what they are up against.

 

https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/09/17/why-china-is-crushing-the-us-in-solar-energy.aspx

 

"This wouldn't be possible without state-run banks in China handing out loans. These loans aren't earned with profits from operations, which are almost nonexistent, but are rather used as a way to increase China's manufacturing expansion and jobs. The U.S. government could give the industry similar support, but it doesn't."

 

I see China's combination of free enterprise and dictatorship overwhelms are system along with a LOT of people.

 

It's not really a level playing field.

 

Tesla is kind of a blessing because it puts the US industry on alert earlier than if they waited for Chinese competition.

 

For Star Trek fans, it reminds me of Q introducing Picard to the Borg.

 

The other advantage US companies have is decades of making cars. I suspect the first Chinese cars we see in the US will be more like the 90's Korean cars or 70's Japanese cars, where their fit and finish wasn't up to the standards of the American car buyer. Ford does appear to be behind, since GM is already making some solid Electric cars (Volt and Bolt), as well as the Malibu Hybrid getting a lot of praise. Chrysler also seems a bit behind but, technically, they are an Italian company now (Fiat) -- and it will be interesting to see how Fiat responds, though they have build quality issues on their current cars. Regardless, like Ford, Fiat should have the money to be able to make a large investment in EVs to try and catch up.

 

I actually, though, think the bigger barrier in the US is going to be infrastructure; we just don't have the charging stations needed to support a large number of EVs -- and before EVs are really a reliable method for longer trips in the US we'll need better battery technology, both to provide longer ranges and faster charging. Even using a Tesla -- which has built out its supercharger network, it is still much slower to take a long trip in a Tesla because of time lost to charging the vehicle.

[ptjones]

From a Safety stand point Hybrid/Plugin Hybrid make the most sense having two energy sources or great mileage in an emergency, no electricity for EV which is the most common problem in a disaster.  :)

 

Paul  

[CassidyB]

What good is this investment if the local dealers don't have techs to service EVs? My average wait time to get service is 3 weeks.

[SnowStorm]

What good is this investment if the local dealers don't have techs to service EVs? My average wait time to get service is 3 weeks.

Good point!  Two thoughts: (1) hopefully by then the dealers will get upgraded to all handle EVs (???) and (2) there have been virtually no problems with the EV part of our cars.  I don't know of a single HVB or inverter or electric motor problem.  Even the transmission problem was, I expect, due to it simply being a new design - not because it was a hybrid/EV application per se.  So, the world will have to change.  A lot of dealer service income will disappear with EVs so they had better get good at doing what little remains!  For some, there doesn't seem to be much hope.  The whole auto manufacturer / dealer / service world must change.  Those who do that can survive, those who don't will just add to the melted 'runoff' from "the end of the ICE age!"

[NRGTi]

This was the first Ford I've bought, and I expect it to be the last. Not that I don't love my NRG Ti, but because I do! I'm just not ready for that all-electric future yet. A pure EV, even one with a huge battery, can't be as versatile as my present car. Given the current coal intensity of my power grid, it wouldn't necessarily be greener. I'd be dependent on slow recharging at a limited number of stations. The car would lose its utility during power outages. On short trips, I'd be hauling around much more battery than I used. What's the point?

 

EVs seem like a bright shiny toy dangled in front of us to distract from the hybrids we ought to be buying now. "The perfect is the enemy of the Good," as they say.