FORD is dropping some of its most popular models in order to make more electric pickup trucks.
The company is discontinuing two mid-size SUVs as it looks to strengthen its electric vehicle fleet.
The Ford Escape is getting axed later this year[/caption]
Ford is putting up major cash to assemble more electric vehicles[/caption]
The Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair will be killed later this year.
But out with the old, in with the new: A Model T EV truck is expected to be a game changer due to the low amount of affordable electric pickup trucks on the market.
The trucks are expected to hit the road in 2027, and will cost around $30,000.
“If things go as planned, it could disrupt the U.S. auto industry,” InsideEVs wrote.
“Production will stop for Escape and Corsair later this year when we start retooling the plant,” a Ford spokesperson said, according to Edmunds.
“We’re going to have enough inventory to sell Escape and Corsair well into 2026.”
The Escape was the company’s second-best selling SUV, according to the outlet.
Ford is putting up major cash to assemble the new line of electric vehicles, too.
Ford’s electric investments
In Louisville, Kentucky, an assembly plant is getting a $2 billion upgrade in order to streamline the process of putting together the new electric cars, which are taking priority.
It will create 2,200 jobs, according to the company.
“Ford and Kentucky have been a tremendous team for more than 100 years, and that partnership has never been stronger than it is today,” Gov. Andy Beshear said.
“This announcement not only represents one of the largest investments on record in our state, it also boosts Kentucky’s position at the center of EV-related innovation and solidifies Louisville Assembly Plant as an important part of Ford’s future.”
An additional $3 billion is being put into Michigan, which will build batteries for the new truck.
Almost 4,000 jobs are expected to be added with the expansion.
Electric vehicles vs gas
Pros and cons of EVs vs gasoline-powered vehicles
EV PROS:
- Convenient (when charging at home)
- Cheaper (depending on state or city)
- Cheaper maintenance, due to lack of mechanical parts
- Great for commuting
- Reduced CO2 emissions
- Federal and state tax incentives
- More performance (speed, handling – depending on the make and model)
EV CONS:
- Higher initial cost
- Higher insurance rates
- More frequent tire and brake replacement intervals
- Higher curb weight (thus causing more rapid wear on crucial parts)
- Low resale value
- High depreciation rates
- Lack of charging infrastructure
- Unreliable public charging (related: slow charging times)
- Poor winter and summer performance
- Lack of clean energy alternatives means more “dirty energy” from coal and nuclear sources
- Range anxiety
GAS PROS:
- Highly developed refueling infrastructure
- Fast refueling
- Cheaper insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
- Established repair industry
- Lower initial cost
- Higher range before refueling, especially with hybrids
- Many manufacturers produce nearly emission-less engines
- Cheaper refueling, depending on the location
GAS CONS:
- Finite resource (related: heavy dependence on petroleum)
- Carbon emissions/greenhouse gases
- Higher repair costs
- Higher insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
- Varying costs at the pump, depending on state, city, and county
Source: Car & Driver, Perch Energy, AutoWeek
“We took a radical approach to a very hard challenge: Create affordable vehicles that delight customers in every way that matters – design, innovation, flexibility, space, driving pleasure, and cost of ownership – and do it with American workers,” Ford’s CEO Jim Farley said.
“We have all lived through far too many ‘good college tries’ by Detroit automakers to make affordable vehicles that ends up with idled plants, layoffs and uncertainty.”
A new truck hits the market
The company’s electric truck has caught many’s attention due to its low price point, size, and EV capabilities.
According to Ford, the car will have more passenger space than the popular Toyota RAV4, and a lower center of gravity from the battery which “improves handling” and “creates a quiet cabin.”
“We took inspiration from the Model T – the universal car that changed the world,” Doug Field, Ford’s chief officer of EV, digital, and design, said.
“We applied first‑principles engineering, pushing to the limits of physics to make it fun to drive and compete on affordability. Our new zonal electric architecture unlocks capabilities the industry has never seen.”
“This isn’t a stripped‑down, old‑school vehicle.”
Kentucky and Michigan are receiving a $5 billion investment from the company[/caption]
The Lincoln Corsair SUV didn’t make the cut as electric vehicles take the front seat[/caption]
