Ford has announced that there will be all-electric versions of the Ford F-150 pickup and Ford Transit van by mid-2022. The company has given a very detailed two-year timeframe of when customers can expect those models on the road. The new EVs are expected to follow important vehicle launches such as a redesigned F-150 and the intriguing Mustang Mach-E crossover.
“We are No. 1 in the pickup and the van market in Western Europe and the U.S., and this is our chance,” Ford Chief Operating Officer Jim Farley said. “We are electrifying and we're a brand people trust.”
There will be a lot of competition in this segment of the market as other companies are planning to come out with new all-electric models, such as General Motors, Tesla and start-ups such as Rivian and Nikola.
All-electric pickups and vans are expected to be a gold mine for automakers in the coming years as the market for these models is growing, particularly for commercial business sales to rental fleets, companies and governments. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos last year said the company ordered 100,000 electric delivery vehicles from Rivian.
GM has also announced that it is planning to bring back the mighty Hummer as an all-electric pickup in the fall of next year. The Detroit automaker also plans to start production of an all-electric van in late 2021.
Let’s not forget that Tesla is entering this market sector too with its rather unique all-electric Cybertruck, which is expected to enter production in late 2021, according to the company's website. Nikola, which became publicly traded on June 4 and rapidly hit $34 billion 5 days later, has announced plans to begin taking reservations of its all-electric Badger pickup on June 29.
However, the competition is not worrying Ford as it is getting ready to unveil the redesigned F-150 on July 25. Farley said during a Deutsche Bank auto conference that Ford has focused on technology advancements for the redesigned pickup, including a new electrical architecture, or brains, of the vehicle.
“The launches are really critical for our North America profitability and our customers,” he said. ” The F-150, that is our key launch this year. We're really excited about the new truck. It's really about technology and productivity.”
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