Ford dropped quite a few bombshells during a special press conference, including confirmation of a Ford F-150 hybrid and a surprise Ford Mustang hybrid. Both are set to arrive by the year 2020.
However, the biggest piece of Ford’s $4.5 billion investment in the future of mobility is the automaker’s announcement of a 300-mile electric vehicle. Obviously, Ford is targeting the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV with such a vehicle.
Ford Authority reports the Bolt EV’s rival will arrive by the year 2020 as well and sit as an “SUV” of sorts. Though, it’s likely it will be a crossover. Automakers love to toss around the “SUV” acronym these days.
The battery-electric vehicle could wear the “Model-E” designation, as Ford moved to trademark the name in late 2013, and it’s tipped to be assembled at Ford’s Flat Rock, Michigan assembly plant alongside the Ford Mustang and Lincoln Continental.
Chevrolet and General Motors beat nearly every automaker to the punch when announcing the 2017 Bolt EV for production just last year. Since then, GM kept its promise of delivering the first production Bolt EVs by the end of last year, as sales commenced on the west coast on December 13, 2016.
Analysts have consistently stated EV adoption rates will climb as more automakers climb aboard the technology. And, as they say, competition is good for everybody.
Comments
Wow.
The Model-E vs Model III thing is about to get heated.
(Tesla wanted to call the III the “E”, but they ran into Ford’s trademarks, so they called it the “III”, which is E sideways. (Look at the logo, its actually horizontal slats instead of verticle, or in other words an “E” without the side bar- Elon wanted his cars to be the “S” “E” “X”.)
So now Ford comes out with its Bolt and tesla competitor, calling it the Model E, which is exactly what Tesla wanted to call it and its what the logo shows.
Its like China in America, but I’m not sure whose knocking off who here.
Bolt it’s great except Americans hate hatchbacks and are all about SUVS. Volt should have gotten the Bolt powertrain with a SUV variant.
Americans hate sedans. They merely dislike hatchbacks. 😉
The Bolt is really more of a CUV in reality, I was amazed at the cargo capacity with the seats down. It has more space then my CUV, with good leg room & the flat floors really add to the open space overall.
GM can designate it as a light truck (it is listed as a truck) & not a passenger car because of its capacity.
That flat floor thing is amazing. My wife’s Nissan Cube looks tiny to tall people. Until they get in it.
I’m an American, and I like my current hatchback (Audi), but my next vehicle will definitely be an all electric and I’m glad there are going to be so many options.
the Chevrolet bolt is going over it’s range of 238 miles, it’s already at 300 mile now, and it’s out right. Your talking about a car that wanted be out for another four or five years. And wouldn’t be that hard for the volt be a BEV. Ford’s will a small crossover.
Chevrolet bolt crossover, Chevrolet Crossvolt Crossover. These Chevrolet bolt will be 300 miles before for ford ever get there on the street.
I hadn’t thought of that but you’re right. This is the old Microsoft Vaporware trick. “Oh… don’t buy that Bolt kids… our EV is just around the corner and will go even further.”
riiiight…
vaporhardware
Competition drives improvements and breakthroughs. Love it. That’s the way it is supposed to work.
Delay tactic to ensure that no one buys EV’s. “Ford Motor Co. plans to lobby President-elect Donald Trump to soften U.S. and state fuel-economy rules that hurt profits by forcing automakers to build more electric cars and hybrids than are warranted by customer demand.”