Ford is building an all-electric SUV on the Rivian platform

Discussion in 'Ford' started by Domenick, Aug 15, 2019.

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  1. Ford CEO Jim Hackett has spilled some beans about the vehicle it will be building with startup Rivian.

    We've learned that the vehicle built on the Rivian platform will "probably" be an SUV. This makes a lot of sense. Ford already has its own electric pickup project underway and it makes little sense to have two vehicles occupying the same space.

    It also has an electric crossover SUV project happening -- that's the so-called "Mustang-inspired" vehicle. So, an "SUV-like" SUV (you know, something larger that you can take off-road a bit) sounds like a niche waiting to be filled.

    The other (very) interesting thing we learned is that the electric Ford will be built at the Rivian plant in Normal, Illinois. This lowers the capital investment for the vehicle for Ford and gives us more confidence in RIvian's ability to get their plant into auto-manufacturing shape.
     
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  3. Feathermerchant

    Feathermerchant New Member

    I don't understand this. Why wouldn't Ford use the components developed for the electric truck for the electric SUV? Like the F150/Explorer? And every other vehicle line they build.
    It would make more sense to do that than to develop the truck in house and pay Rivian to develop the SUV.

    As far as having Rivian contract to build (not develop) them an electric vehicle, that makes more sense. It reduces their risk by eliminating the capital cost of building another production line. It seems they are still not sure if this electric revolution will work out. With the lack of a real network of charging stations I can see their concern.
     
    Domenick likes this.
  4. Great question. For one, the Rivian SUV uses four electric motors -- one for each wheel -- which it's most likely the F-150 will go with a two-motor design. The crossover is likely a two-motor design as well.

    Ford seems to be using a shotgun approach to its electric vehicle development. The electric F-150 is also very different from the "Mustang-inspired" crossover. They might use some of the same drivetrain components for these two vehicles but I would not be surprised to see three separate approaches: ground-up EV platform for formerly-known-as Mach 1 crossover, retrofitted EV drivetrain in F-150, and Rivian-sourced and built electric SUV.

    With regards to a charging network, it's interesting that Ford is a partner in Ionity -- a large European network but in the U.S. seems content to let the VW-funded Electrify America do all the work and eventually reap the rewards.

    It all strikes me as a clear sign Ford is not yet truly committed to an electric future.
     

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