This article makes some good points. For a retooling that is supposed to be done, and production started, about a year from now, he has not shown a prototype, or a concept, or a name. He pointedly refuses to quote the range expected from the cheap batteries they claim to be using. Is the whole thing a sham, to give them an excuse to kill the Escape, thinking they can force Escape prospects into an Explorer, to juice Ford’s ATP and GP?
‘There Are No Guarantees:’ Ford CEO Isn’t Entirely Sure About Company’s Grand New Plan
I don’t want to step on in too much, but I think Farley might be onto something. For a bizarre set of reasons (see video below0, you can’t buy a small or mid-sized ICE pick up in the US anymore. Trucks have to be big. But if you read the comments in the video people love smaller trucks. I do too. They are efficient, make tons of sense, economical, get the job done. People love ‘em. But you can’t buy one.
But CAFE rules for ICE trucks don’t apply to EVs. So why not come out with an EV truck that is sensibly sized? I bet it would be a great seller. And you’d have the compact/midsize truck market all to yourself.
He might be swinging for the fences here, but I think the upside is huge.
Ford sold over 131,000 Maverick compact pickups last year, a mix of ICE and hybrid versions. Ford sold over 46,000 ICE Ranger mid-size pickups last year. Chevy sold 98,000 mid size Colorado pickups last year. There was plenty of extra capacity at Louisville. Ford could have moved Maverick production there, as it shares the Escape platform, from Hermosillo, to avoid the tariffs. But no.
The BBB eliminated the enforcement mechanism for CAFE. So now, there are no fuel economy regs in the US.
The Maverick, Ranger, and Colorado are mid-size or compact in name only. They are big vehicles, unsuitable for what lots of landscapers, carpenters, plumbers, etc. need. You must buy the extra cab, even if you don’t want it and can’t use it. All of these vehicles flunk the 4x8 sheet of drywall test.
They don’t want to sell bare bones “work” trucks. They want everything loaded up with gimmicks and sold to posers, because that maximizes ATP and GP. Farley didn’t claim the new “truck” would accommodate a sheet of plywood. He said it would accommodate a surfboard.
…the first of which is a midsize, four-door electric pickup
You can lock your surfboards or other gear in that bed – no roof rack or trailer hitch racks required.
