SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the It's-electric.-Boogie-woogie-woogie! dept.
Ford Motor Co. confirmed plans to build a fully electric F-Series pickup, which industry observers called an unexpected move that protects the truck franchise against Tesla and other competitors.
“We’re going to be electrifying the F-Series — battery electric and hybrid,” Jim Farley, Ford president of global markets, said Wednesday during a presentation at the Deutsche Bank Global Automotive Conference in the MGM Grand in Detroit.
In framing the company’s redesign, Farley said a move toward all-electric and hybrid would “futureproof” the billion-dollar F-Series franchise, which he called a “global juggernaut.”
[...] Creating an alternative to the combustion engine is crucial if Ford plans to protect its pickup franchise.
“Tesla is talking about coming out with an electric pickup. And look what Tesla has done in the luxury segment. They’ve clobbered just about everybody,” McElroy said. “You can’t pooh-pooh that people won't be interested in an electric pickup. Rivian Automotive is coming out with an all-electric pickup. These are the crown jewels for Ford Motor Co., the F-Series. Ford has got to react to competitive threats.”
Ford recently announced it would exit the market for cars to focus on its pickups. This announcement is another sign of the shockwaves Tesla has sent throughout the automotive industry.
[Ford is likely also keeping a watchful eye on Workhorse. --Ed.]
(Score: 2) by bobthecimmerian on Tuesday January 22 2019, @03:48PM (1 child)
The Benz is S-class, right? Nice.
I work full time remote since late 2013. But from mid 2001 to present my wife and I have put a combined 700k on the vehicles we owned, so we're averaging more than twice as many miles per year as you. Some of that's work, some of it is being dumb enough to settle in suburbs and have four kids we have to drive all over.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday January 22 2019, @05:45PM
Yeah, a "bottom of the line" S430 - really sweet car.
I had been looking for a smallblock 1969ish Buick Skylark or similar to restore with good A/C and probably a fuel injection conversion (drop-in carb replacement), the wife wanted a new-ish Sonata or maybe Charger... the S430 was a great compromise.
🌻🌻 [google.com]