Is this T3? August 11th "Model T moment" for Ford says Jim Farley

[MaintGrl]

Don't look at me, I have no beans to spill.

Wow, look who chimed in...
As my Mom would say about us kids , , , conspicuous by their absence.

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[Lytning]

Low cost also inherently implies low profit. I can't believe Ford is going to put many eggs in that basket. Of course, low cost is relative over time. Today's low cost is not our parents' low cost. My Lightning truck cost 3.5 times as much as my first house.

 

[MaintGrl]

Low cost also inherently implies low profit. I can't believe Ford is going to put many eggs in that basket. Of course, low cost is relative over time. Today's low cost is not our parents' low cost. My Lightning truck cost 3.5 times as much as my first house.

Hum, I guess I should consider myself lucky, as my lightning was about the same price as my first house, maybe a tad more expensive...

 

[MountainAlive]

To be revealed on August 11th.

https://www.theverge.com/news/716799/ford-model-t-moment-ev-announcement-date-earnings

 

[RickLightning]

Low end EV platform.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/threads/is-this-t3.29682/#post-550946

 

[Pitbull2o08]

After thinking about it, I think it’s a play on words and we are getting TTT unveiling. “TTT” vs “Model T”

 

[Meddle]

Agreed with most in this thread - this will be a model Y or "ranger-esque" EV that is priced at $40k-$60k and be available in a year or two for purchase.

 

[Tony Burgh]

If you want to get rich, you don’t follow the crowd.

 

[BabyDoc1012]

The Car & Driver article mentioned Farley saying that they would be discussing an EV platform, which I hope is true. It sounds like Ford is finally waking up to what GM is doing with the Ultium platform. And since Ford has had time to see what GM has done, maybe we see improvements over Ultium. I always wondered why Ford didn't develop a platform for multiple vehicle use from the get go. Should be interesting to see. Would love to see a Taurus again. And I think a Ranger sized EV truck would be great! I would be interested in a Ranger Lightning.

 

[hturnerfamily]

or the SLATE 'Lightning'... as they don't have the baggage other manufacturers do, but also not the dealer network and loyal fans...

I think even a Tesla 'low-cost' EV will not necessarily make a huge impact, as the charging infrastructure and at-home charging options are still not mature... regardless of price, if someone is hampered by how and when they can charge their vehicle, they tend to still stick with the tried and true gas model. Even Hybrids don't tip the scales, relative to the sheer numbers of pure gas vehicle sales.

I don't disbelieve that EVs will eventually be the vehicle powertrain of choice in years to come, but I also realize the humanity of how buying and driving decisions are made, today. It may work PERFECTLY well for me, but for many others - not so much.

Wen you purchase an EV, one of the first questions you will have is WHERE to charge this:
-a Supercharger nearby might make for somewhat of a convenient possibility, although the first time you arrive and find it full, you might start to rethink your reasoning.
-an Electrician quoting you $1,500 to $3,000 to 'run' you a 240v 50amp 6awg NEMA 14-50 outlet from your Main Panel on the other side of your home, to your driveway, may give you pause.
-Street parking dwellers have almost no option to 'self-charge'. Most apartments and condos with large parking lots are the same. Renters of homes even run into whether they can 'modify' the home with this outlet.

It's not just the price of a vehicle.

My youngest newly married son has had a 2019 Chevy Bolt for several years, and enjoyed charging easily at his home - but, now, he and his wife have moved 'up' to a brand new apartment, with NO exterior charging options, outlets, etc... nothing. Even HE is now questioning owning an EV.
His wife is not on the EV bandwagon, either.

My second oldest son, and their first child, have helped cause them get into the 'upgrade' to an SUV vehicle game - with some advice from DAD to consider an EV. They live two blocks from work. But, they live in a tight neighborhood of connected townhomes. Their tiny 'garage' is hardly large enough to park their car, and, well, made them also consider that trying to install a 240v outlet there, and even have enough room to plug it in, would still be annoying. They went with a gas upgrade. She was worried that they couldn't really 'travel' far, too. : /
She's not on the EV bandwagon, either.

the reason the reference of 'Model A' seems to conjure massive news, and massive low-cost manufacturing ideas, harkens back to 100 years ago, when few, if any, had ANY vehicle... yes, a new low-cost entry option was suddenly a great boon for so many...

but, today, we are not in that same scenario - everyone, for the most part, ALREADY has a vehicle. A decision to 'buy' a new vehicle then is not driven by a sudden overcoming need to purchase one, but more of a 'would I rather have...' decision, an eventual 'upgrade', etc. It's much less about a 'massive' move to EVs.

yes, if it were 100 years ago, and Ford suddenly unveiled to the millions and millions of potential drivers that a brand new $1,000 Electric Vehicle was now available, sure... this would be a different story. Henry Ford decided on gas engines, though, too. If it had been Batteries and Motors, instead, well, we wouldn't now even be discussing this... we'd all already be in EVs.

 

[trev5150]

Low cost also inherently implies low profit. I can't believe Ford is going to put many eggs in that basket. Of course, low cost is relative over time. Today's low cost is not our parents' low cost. My Lightning truck cost 3.5 times as much as my first house.

Low cost means commodity car means huge profit. Ford is seriously lacking in the world car/Mondeo/Fusion to Fiesta size everybody car (in the U.S.) for those that don’t want the low end Tesla and this might be the time for that.

 

[The Weatherman]

I, personally, don't think they'll ever be a 'low-cost' EV... there are too many costs involved in producing ANY vehicle, much less an EV... and even defining 'low-cost' is problematic...

EVs and their infrastructure are not the same as gas vehicles, either - 100 years of infrastructure of gas stations, engine shops, and 'fast oil change' options have brought gas vehicles into an easy trend, and there is no need to 'plug in' at home...

EVs on the other hand, at least in order to produce the best 'low-cost' outcome, can have inherent issues for those needing to 'plug in' ... when they live in places where it's not easy to reach an outlet, when parked.
-Street parking is not going to make for an easy EV ownership, either.
-Apartment parking is also not typically set up for charging.
-Even those with 'homes' don't find installing a 240v outlet an easy or low-cost option.

It's not just the 'car', it's the environment needed to make it work best.

Tesla or Ford or anybody can mass produce 'cheap' EVs, but that in itself is a pie-in-the-sky mentality, at least from a profit standpoint.
Batteries are expensive.
Car building is expensive.
Those employees building cars also don't want low-cost wages.

There are also reasons why 'cheap' models from most every manufacturer aren't the best selling models, with few exceptions:
- Chevy Trax, starting at $20,500? ... how about the BOLT EV, no longer offered?
- Ford Escape, starting at $29,915? ... a hybrid, the Maverick, at $28,145?
- Kia Soul, starting at $20,490? ... a K4 sedan, at $24,990?
- Hyundai Venue, starting at $20,200? ... or the Kona, at $24,550?
- Honda Civic, $24,595?
- Toyota Corolla, $22,325?
- Nissan Versa @ $17,190? .... or Kicks, $21,520? or Sentra $21,590?
- Mazda 3 $25,150?
- VW Jetta $22,995?

There is also the element that many conversations easily overlook: we typically like big cars...
2024 Top Bestselling Vehicles:
Ford F-150
Toyota RAV4
Honda CR-V
Chevrolet Silverado
Tesla Model Y

I image the same dentures present when the original autos showed up in the horse and buggy days. Lots of staples to overnight your horse. Feed and water stations along the routes. Hat feels everywhere. Even hitching posts outside your favorite stores (and Banks).

Yet here we are.

You can’t stop progress and change is inevitable. (Somebody smarter then me came up with last two. I just borrowed them. )

 

[Maxx]

Maybe the low cost EV is one of those Battery Not Included models. The new Bolt is revealing soon and Slate is coming down the line. With low cost vehicles they may go with printer business models; try to flood the market, selling at cost and make money off of parts, software and subscriptions.

Ford Model e has lost $2.2 Billion this year so far. They have to change something. These guys say they are shifting resources from future EV programs to Pro:

 

[flyin525]

Don't look at me, I have no beans to spill.

A Pinto EV???

 

[jetfixr1]

I can neither confirm nor deny I have beans to spill, but…

We will probably see the Explorer EV (5/7 seat options) enter the US market since Ford already makes it elsewhere. Add in a barebones Maverick EV to compete with Slate and probably an EV Focus or another compact for that segment. All with the same concept as the GM Ultium platform to scale up or down, have common parts for cost control and technicians that can learn 1 thing and be done with all the differences in models (because Ford knows EV service is a sore spot). That said, they will have a Lightning with a larger battery given the 8 lug config, competing with R1T/Sierra/Silverado/Dumpster (and maybe hummer?)

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