Ford Team Edison Director Discusses the Development of an Electric Car Fleet

[cageymaru]

Darren Palmer, Ford Team Edison Global Product Development Director, has written a blog post about the challenges of developing "16 new electric vehicle models within a global portfolio of 40 electrified vehicles through 2022." He discusses how his team has been given the freedom to "operate in a completely different way." The members of the various teams come together in meetings and it is normal to have the marketing and charging teams sharing the same meeting space to better collaborate. And of course they released the first image of their vision.

The electric vehicle market overall is accelerating at an exponential rate, with each individual market presenting its own unique challenges. It's an exciting time to be bringing forward a winning portfolio of electrified vehicles. My team and I are both proud of and energized by the company's $11 billion investment to bring 16 fully electric vehicles within a global portfolio of 40 electrified vehicles through 2022. All of us here have unknowingly prepared for this our entire careers.

 

[Nukester]

I won't drive a FORD gas power vehicle, why would i drive one of their electric ones?

 

[pcgeekesq]

I won't drive a FORD gas power vehicle, why would i drive one of their electric ones?

Haters gotta hate, even when nobody cares.

 

[Cyraxx]

Fuck, I should really sell my few Tesla stocks. They are going to get pummeled.

EDIT: Not that these Ford ones are going to be awesome or anything - it's just that mainstream competition with plenty of funds will easily win in the end.

 

[Spidey329]

That many models doesn't seem that outlandish given that electric vehicles can be made rather modular. It's like dropping a different "cabin" onto a few different battery/powertrain chassis. If they follow a similar philosophy, they can probably do it.

They already know how to manufacturer the other car components. So they likely won't struggle with scale/production like Tesla has.

 

[pcgeekesq]

That many models doesn't seem that outlandish given that electric vehicles can be made rather modular.

And that a Ford rebadged as a Lincoln or Troller counts as a different model.
(Yes, you can own a Troller SUV. In Brazil, anyway.)

 

[DukenukemX]

I won't drive a FORD gas power vehicle, why would i drive one of their electric ones?

Because right now only Tesla makes a half decent electric car? More competition is better.

 

[babochee]

Because right now only Tesla makes a half decent electric car? More competition is better.

Chevy Bolt is more than 1/2 decent....

 

[travisty]

Chevy Bolt is more than 1/2 decent....

Comparatively? Bolt is a not even worth a laugh when compared to the Model 3. The seats alone in the Bolt are uncomfortable as any i've ever sat in; metal bar in my leg no thanks.

 

[EODetroit]

We are only about a decade away from quieter streets and gasoline and diesel companies disappearing from street corners. I'm from Detroit but I still look forward to it.

 

[hlfbkd420]

I could care less what the Ford haters say. My new ride is fun as Fuck. even my wife likes it. Petrol ftw

 

[nutzo]

We are only about a decade away from quieter streets and gasoline and diesel companies disappearing from street corners. I'm from Detroit but I still look forward to it.

10 years away? Considering the average age of cars on the street is currently over 10 years old, I don't think so.
Even if every car sold next year was electric, half the cars sold this year will still be on the road.

Then there's the electrical grid.
If 20% of the cars sold next year where electric, we'd have a complete meltdown of the grid.
It's going to take a couple decades to build the power plants and charging stations to support even 30% of the cars being electric.

 

[nutzo]

I won't drive a FORD gas power vehicle, why would i drive one of their electric ones?

You mean you don't want a tiny car, that barely fits 4 people, has no spare tire, and cost 50% more than an ICE car?

 

[Zumino Zufeilon]

how can they have a fleet of electric cars, when they aren't making cars in the US Market anymore.

Global fleet, schmobal fleet, bring some of those suckers here.

 

[freeloader1969]

I could care less what the Ford haters say. My new ride is fun as Fuck. even my wife likes it. Petrol ftw

My 2006 GT is still humming along fine with 132,500 miles on it. Thinking about selling it and using the funds as a down payment on a 2019 5.0!

 

[Wierdo]

Fuck, I should really sell my few Tesla stocks. They are going to get pummeled.

EDIT: Not that these Ford ones are going to be awesome or anything - it's just that mainstream competition with plenty of funds will easily win in the end.

It's not that easy, EV design requires a complete rethinking of car design - as Mercedes is struggling with at the moment.

And for an old incumbent they're competing with their own established products, so kinda a ball and chain situation. When do you make the leap? It's a scary fall... Did you jump too early? Did you jump too late? Incumbents have an internal struggle on their hands from a financial and political angle.

Not to mention the difficulty in securing enough battery supplies to mass produce a line if the company got serious beyond compliance quantities.

And then there's the dealership angle, how do you convince them to sell an EV that requires almost no maintenance? That's their bread and butter.

More competition is good though, seems it's eating at ICE sales rather than other EV sales the more EVs come online so far, most ICE sales are down, some model down 60 percent, but EV sales are stable in general.

https://insideevs.com/tesla-model-3-us-top-5-best-selling-cars/

I guess the more EVs are out there the more awareness spreads and grows that market potential for all players at this early stage.

But sure I'll take your stock lol.

 

[Dekoth-E-]

We are only about a decade away from quieter streets and gasoline and diesel companies disappearing from street corners. I'm from Detroit but I still look forward to it.

Yeah... No. Not even the most optimistic analyst is predicting that. You have a good 30-50 years realistically before gas stations and ice vehicle's start to disappear en masse and even that is fairly optimistic. Sorry but EVs are easily still at least decade from being competitive across the board with all ice use cases.

 

[Dead Parrot]

We are only about a decade away from quieter streets and gasoline and diesel companies disappearing from street corners. I'm from Detroit but I still look forward to it.

Unlikely. Total US sales in 2017 was just over 17 million vehicles. There are about 253 million vehicles on the road today. Even if every vehicle sold from now on was EV, still about a 14 year turnover period. Given Tesla's issues just getting 1 plant up to speed for the Tesla 3, don't see anywhere near 17 million / year for a long time. Not sure the world has the infrastructure to make that many battery packs.

I hope Ford makes a few models with trim levels that don't pack a bunch of semi-experimental techno-gizmos and add $30,000 to the cost.

 

[Wierdo]

We are only about a decade away from quieter streets and gasoline and diesel companies disappearing from street corners. I'm from Detroit but I still look forward to it.

Not to mention less kids and grandmas with asthma, cancer and other problems. It's even linked to regional intelligence levels:
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-huge-reduction-in-intelligence-study-reveals

Air pollution causes a “huge” reduction in intelligence, according to new research, indicating that the damage to society of toxic air is far deeper than the well-known impacts on physical health.
...
The research was conducted in China but is relevant across the world, with 95% of the global population breathing unsafe air.
...
“Polluted air can cause everyone to reduce their level of education by one year, which is huge,” said Xi Chen at Yale School of Public Health in the US, a member of the research team. “But we know the effect is worse for the elderly, especially those over 64, and for men, and for those with low education. If we calculate [the loss] for those, it may be a few years of education.”

 

[capt_cope]

Not to mention less kids and grandmas with asthma, cancer and other problems. It's even linked to regional intelligence levels:
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-huge-reduction-in-intelligence-study-reveals

That would explain a lot about California

 

[cyberguyz]

Personally I really like my '13 focus. It has been a dandy little car. I was really sad when Ford said they will be scrapping all cars except for the mustang and some electric focus built in China (I think Trump may have messed the plans for the e-focus up - not that I would ever consider one of those) and building only crossovers, suvs and trucks. In fact any commercials I have been seeing have a total lack of their sedans.

So it seems to me the vehicles they will make will certainly not include family sedans. Only cropsdsovers, suvs, trucks and.... an electric mustang?

 

[Accursed]

I could care less what the Ford haters say. My new ride is fun as Fuck. even my wife likes it. Petrol ftw

Oil dependency for the win? And I doubt your Ford is anywhere near as fun as a performance Tesla.

I want ford to succeed, but them killing off their passenger cars in favor of trucks and SUV and now them making a half hearted effort at electric is a joke.

 

[EODetroit]

Unlikely. Total US sales in 2017 was just over 17 million vehicles. There are about 253 million vehicles on the road today. Even if every vehicle sold from now on was EV, still about a 14 year turnover period. Given Tesla's issues just getting 1 plant up to speed for the Tesla 3, don't see anywhere near 17 million / year for a long time. Not sure the world has the infrastructure to make that many battery packs.

I hope Ford makes a few models with trim levels that don't pack a bunch of semi-experimental techno-gizmos and add $30,000 to the cost.

This is a good post, about the 14 year turnover period. Anyways, in 10 years it'll be noticeable, in 20 years, it'll be done.

 

[hlfbkd420]

Oil dependency for the win? And I doubt your Ford is anywhere near as fun as a performance Tesla.

I want ford to succeed, but them killing off their passenger cars in favor of trucks and SUV and now them making a half hearted effort at electric is a joke.

I cant bring myself to care about electric. Can't drive a tesla either cause I'm not a pretentious hipster. Hell I almost bought the manual so millennials couldn't steal it...

Plus after 4 minutes of abuse the battery protections kick in and limit the power of that tesla.. Check out runs at the ring... They can't even go a full lap...

 

[Accursed]

I cant bring myself to care about electric. Can't drive a tesla either cause I'm not a pretentious hipster. Hell I almost bought the manual so millennials couldn't steal it...

Plus after 4 minutes of abuse the battery protections kick in and limit the power of that tesla.. Check out runs at the ring... They can't even go a full lap...

"pretentious hipsters", around me most Tesla owners are retires. And what would be your stereotypical Ford owner? Certainly not a pretty picture.

If your reference to the ring is Nürburgring, an EV has one of the best track times ever.
https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/15/moto...r-nrburgring-lap-record-production/index.html

...but I'm sure you drive your Ford at wide open throttle most of the time, can't have battery thermal protection slowing you down.

 

[TheOne&OnlyZeke]

No idea what this is about as I can't get passed the fact I first read it as Electric Car Feet

 

[Wierdo]

That would explain a lot about California

Los Angeles for sure, you should see the crazy drivers, worse than NY. With a population density that high you know that basin is doing its thing for sure lol.

Or those big coal dust "pyramids" around every corner down in West Virginia, not a pretty sight either, people just don't seem to attach enough value to breathing clean air I think.

 

[MV75]

Imagine how much better those factory installed fires will be when ford has a lithium pack under them! Fucking epic!

Plus the extra weight adds more points when you crowd surf your stang.

 

[hlfbkd420]

"pretentious hipsters", around me most Tesla owners are retires. And what would be your stereotypical Ford owner? Certainly not a pretty picture.

If your reference to the ring is Nürburgring, an EV has one of the best track times ever.
https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/15/moto...r-nrburgring-lap-record-production/index.html

...but I'm sure you drive your Ford at wide open throttle most of the time, can't have battery thermal protection slowing you down.

That link is not for a tesla. We were talking tesla..

And yes. WOT is full time in the stang. How else can I run into crowds and make sure I can get over them?

 

[Stimpy88]

Edison is hardly the type of role model anyone should aspire to. But I guess the one who really changed the world was already taken.

 

[TordanGow]

We are only about a decade away from quieter streets and gasoline and diesel companies disappearing from street corners. I'm from Detroit but I still look forward to it.

Not happening. Even if you could get everyone to buy an electric car the infrastructure is not in place to support it. We get a hot day and they ask us not to run pool filters, brownouts, etc. What do you think would happen if the entire nation decided to charge their cars at 5:30 when they got home from work? We aren't even close to replacing petrol with electric.

 

[EODetroit]

Not happening. Even if you could get everyone to buy an electric car the infrastructure is not in place to support it. We get a hot day and they ask us not to run pool filters, brownouts, etc. What do you think would happen if the entire nation decided to charge their cars at 5:30 when they got home from work? We aren't even close to replacing petrol with electric.

Except at the same time, distributed electricity generation will be taking place. I.e. solar panels on (or as) everyone's roofs, more solar farms, more wind turbines, etc. 10-20 years is plenty of time to improve the infrastructure. Also, if you look at Sweden's example, where more than 50% of cars sold are now electric, the infrastructure demands are way overblown. Its a lot more FUD than an actual infrastructure problem.