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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 DeathMonkey on Friday January 18 2019, @06:55PM (2 children)
I work on a lot of projects. I use the bed of my truck about monthly. And I'm the resident city-living-liberal!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 18 2019, @09:25PM (1 child)
Then you might have a need for one, but as said, a car with a trailer would most likely work just aswell, no?
(Score: 1) by Sulla on Saturday January 19 2019, @05:09AM
Not sure where you live or your experiences with trailers but i have always found them to be a pain int he ass. I use a truck on a regular basis and can't afford a second more effecient car for bmming around town. I go to the hardware store for plywood or 8ft boards weekly and i would rather be able to go straight from work to there rather than doubling back to my house to hook up the trailer. Trailers also mess with turn radius and backing up. Sure an 8ft trailer is nothing compared to my 20ft one, but i would prefer only use it for towing vehicles or several tons of hay.
For a lot of people it comes down to not wanting to be caught unprepaired and if they want to buy new the small trucks get the same gas mileage as the big ones. I don't like seeing the jacked up pavement princesses, and a bed shorter than 8ft makes me cringe, but whatever. The answer will never be to tell people they cant have something, it will be to change what they have into something thats not a problem.
Electric will mean more torque, that will please rednecks. Electric also meansi can fill up at home, which sounds good too. Easier to sel someone into an elecric truck than sell them into a prius.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam