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Ford Working On Low-Cost EV Platform

While electric vehicles certainly boast numerous advantages over their ICE-powered counterparts, affordability currently stands as one of the largest barriers to enticing new customers to go all-electric. Many major automakers have recognized this, and now, General Motors rival Ford has announced that it is working on a low-cost EV platform.

According to a report from GMA sister publication Ford Authority, Ford CEO Jim Farley claimed that a small skunkworks team worked to develop a more affordable EV platform. Interestingly, this platform appears to be unrelated to several other Blue Oval all-electric architectures.

Front-three-quarter view of Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

“Now this is important because we made a bet in silence two years ago,” Ford CEO Jim Farley was quoted as stating. “We developed a super-talented skunkworks team to create a low-cost EV platform. It was a small group, small team, some of the best EV engineers in the world, and it was separate from the Ford mothership. It was a start-up. And they’ve developed a flexible platform that will not only deploy to several types of vehicles, but will be a large installed base for software and services that we’re now seeing at Pro.”

It’s worth noting that no potential pricing details have been released regarding a low-cost Ford EV.

Chevy Bolt EV.

Chevy Bolt EV

In regards to General Motors, the Detroit-based automaker recently sunset production of the Chevy Bolt EV and Chevy Bolt EUV, thus discontinuing what once stood as its cheapest entry-level all-electric vehicle. That being said, The General has already confirmed that a second-generation of the Bolt EV is currently in the works. Set to arrive for the 2025 model year, the next-gen Bolt EV will be based on the current Bolt EUV rather than a clean-sheet design, and could be built at the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas.

Additionally, the second-gen Bolts will feature lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which will have to be obtained from a supplier. This is an interesting detail, as the GM Ultium batteries found in almost every GM EV utilize a nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum (NCMA) chemistry.

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As a typical Florida Man, Trey is a certified GM nutjob who's obsessed with anything and everything Corvette-related.

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Comments

  1. Reply
  2. In the current market, “low cost” will mean the low, low price of $39,995. To start.

    Reply
  3. The lightening was supposed to be a low cost EV platform. Once the markups arrived it no longer was affordable to most.

    Reply
  4. Reviving their relationship with Yamaha…. F-150 Golf Carts.

    Reply
  5. Interesting. I wonder if they are looking at the hybrid Maverick for full electric. Many of the Bolt’s sold in the mid $20Ks, and the Maverick starts there too (although it has been such a hit that dealers are adding above MSRP for now). This seems to be the correct market to go for with EV’s.

    Reply
  6. Ford and low cost in the same sentence. Not for me!!! Definite trouble down the road.

    Reply
  7. And here I thought GM was running out of ‘low-cost’ vehicles to discontinue?

    Like the VOLT, New Volt, ELR, Bolt EV, Bolt EUV, Spark, Spark EV, Impala. I’m sure I forgot some

    Yeah, they’re coming out with something in 2025 or 2026.. I get tired of waiting for those somethings.

    Reply
  8. The first automaker that makes a reliable and decent mid 20s to mid 30s small/midsized sedan/cuv platform that can become 2-3 vechiles to keep overall manufacturing costs down will win the ev/hybrid race. The “average” American NEEDS a affordable vehicle. That is the holy grail for car sales. The rich only buy their new toys and throw them away. Ford/GM needs to really build something for America that builds loyalty again. Honestly, a platform that can be both hybrid and ev. If you build a hybrid platform with 165 to 220hp, with 45-55mpg combined they will have a hit on their hands. For over a decade, lower income Americans haven’t had a good vehicle from American automakers they can afford new. The tech is there to make something for the other 98% that need a good car. Combine the 2-3 vehicles into a single adaptable platform to keep costs down. One they can use to build Chevy, Buick and Caddy (if needed). A small sedan and midsized on same platform that is only stretched for more interior room. Then a CUV, again small and midsized with more vertical room and additional storage. Fwd only and if an EV only, include an option for a very small generator with a 2-3 gal tank for charging purposes only. An option for those that need something that if you get stranded due to charging stations being out of order or full, you can put in or have a way to provide a limited charge to get you to the next charger or a safe place. Also an option to purchase a set of solar panels that can be connected directly to the vehicles to charge via the sun (only while stationary) for say camping trips where the car would sit for a few days an maximize the charging and provide a top off while just sitting. A vehicle (similar to a combustion engine) that has an option via additional purchase to never leave you completely stranded due to a depleted battery.

    Reply

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