Photo: Ford
If you think of Ford, one of the last things that you associate with the brand is alternative propulsion systems. Sure, the Blue Oval might be selling an electric Focus hatchback, but "selling" might actually be an overstatement.
Generally speaking, cars built on the platforms of fossil fuel-powered cars don't do too well, and there are plenty examples out there to support this claim. Ford only made the Focus Electric to show it's not completely oblivious to what's going on, and also as a compliance car.
Now, though, with more and more of the traditional carmakers announcing ample EV programs, Ford has to make a real move. Especially since one of its main rivals, General Motors, already has the excellent Chevrolet Bolt on the market.
But while GM made a lot of waves before launching its electric hatchback, the truth is the Bolt is very difficult to come by. That's not exactly the kind of statement you would make about a high-volume model, is it?
Apart from it being a CUV (crossover utility vehicle), Ford is keeping its lips tight about what exactly it has in store for us in 2020. But Raj Nair, Ford’s Chief Technology Officer, did reveal in a Business Insider interview that the car is going to be mass-built and will come with a reasonable price tag.
“To get electrification volumes where we would all like them to be we have to make sure we make the affordability targets or otherwise they are going to stay as a niche item or a pure luxury item,” he said.
With GM not very talkative about its plans after the Bolt and other manufacturers finding themselves lagging behind, Ford's ambitions make it sound like the company has every chance of teleporting itself straight to a commanding position in the EV market.
"We think we have a technology path that will get us a 300 plus miles range and an affordable crossover utility that will be fully competitive," Nair said. If Ford manages to deliver that and also keeps the price down to a competitive level compared to similar gas-powered vehicles, there's no reason why everyone's future EV wouldn't have a blue oval somewhere on it.
“We are excited about it, and I think it’s going to be hitting that inflection point where we are talking about fully electric vehicles not as a niche, not as a novelty, but as a very legitimate, high-volume opportunity for the industry and for the consumer.”
Now, though, with more and more of the traditional carmakers announcing ample EV programs, Ford has to make a real move. Especially since one of its main rivals, General Motors, already has the excellent Chevrolet Bolt on the market.
But while GM made a lot of waves before launching its electric hatchback, the truth is the Bolt is very difficult to come by. That's not exactly the kind of statement you would make about a high-volume model, is it?
Apart from it being a CUV (crossover utility vehicle), Ford is keeping its lips tight about what exactly it has in store for us in 2020. But Raj Nair, Ford’s Chief Technology Officer, did reveal in a Business Insider interview that the car is going to be mass-built and will come with a reasonable price tag.
“To get electrification volumes where we would all like them to be we have to make sure we make the affordability targets or otherwise they are going to stay as a niche item or a pure luxury item,” he said.
With GM not very talkative about its plans after the Bolt and other manufacturers finding themselves lagging behind, Ford's ambitions make it sound like the company has every chance of teleporting itself straight to a commanding position in the EV market.
"We think we have a technology path that will get us a 300 plus miles range and an affordable crossover utility that will be fully competitive," Nair said. If Ford manages to deliver that and also keeps the price down to a competitive level compared to similar gas-powered vehicles, there's no reason why everyone's future EV wouldn't have a blue oval somewhere on it.
“We are excited about it, and I think it’s going to be hitting that inflection point where we are talking about fully electric vehicles not as a niche, not as a novelty, but as a very legitimate, high-volume opportunity for the industry and for the consumer.”
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