Harley Lover

Please update us when you get an answer - hopefully they can determine the issue and correct your Escape to your satisfaction.

It's official: Nope: https://www.motor1.com/news/561416/2022-ford-mondeo-not-coming-europe/

It might be worth asking the dealer if your EH has noise cancelling technology or not... Ford used this tech on previous hybrids (Fusion, C-Max) and it made a difference in terms of hearing engine sounds at road speed. I notice the difference between my daughter's EH and my older model C-Max, but I'm not sure if the absence of noise cancellation accounts for the added sounds I hear in her vehicle or not.

And this is a hatchback/fastback:

That is not a notchback (coupe). This is a notchback/coupe:

An interesting approach, makes a lot of sense for Toyota's product portfolio:

Exactly. I like their approach, and they are one of the only OEM's (Ford is another) that have enough hybrid sales to use this approach. The more I read about issues with dendrites in solid state batteries, the more I appreciate Toyota's approach.

Transit must be included in this list too, correct? I can't imagine it wouldn't be, it (along with F150) are the foundation of their plans for continued/expanded small business services.

LOL You're a bad, bad man...

Citation?

Including going into EV battery plant construction and supply?

Some facts about this Wuling mini EV: A vehicle with a 110 mile range at most that seats 4, with a top speed of 62 mph. It's not a golf cart, but it's certainly not a credible alternative in the U.S.. Oh, and it looks like this:

If you take her statement at face value, that price is before rebates: "the Equinox EV will go on sale in the fall of 2023 with a price around $30,000." However, we're talking about an auto exec, so anything is possible.

It's more due to using the EV skateboard to differently proportion the vehicle - I think these EVs will have much more interior space relative to their wheelbase, ala the EV Jag. The Chevy Equinox EV shows the same proportions (check out the one in the background):

GM claim they're doing it:

The bigger question is: did GM have an engineering choice between unibody vs. traditional cab/bed, or did the EV chassis negate the option of a traditional cab/bed? The current Lightning still has the F150's perimeter frame (albeit in modified form), so it could certainly continue with the traditional cab/bed format. What will happen with the next gen Lightning on the new bespoke EV platform? For years the narrative has been the superiority (and desirability) of the traditional cab/bed form for the majority of the pickup marketplace - witness for example the derision aimed at Honda's unibody truck which it has never successfully overcome. I'm really curious to see if Ford will carry on with the traditional cab/bed in the next gen Lightning, or will they have to follow the unibody path shown by GM with the EV Silverado?

Mercedes hasn't given up on the (electric) sedan: The aero effort contributes to significant efficiency:

More photos:

I've always understood that trucks based on a frame have built in superiority to unit body vehicles for certain types of usage and work. Was that simply marketing on the part of the OEMs to justify their cash cows, or is there a basis for that idea? If we stipulate there is truly a basis to BOF construction for a pickup (I won't know what you think yet as I write this), what do you guys think about this comment from Levine? Could it be possible that while TE1 will indeed be a skateboard chassis, it will still have elements of BOF construction because it is intended for truck duty, and therefore will benefit from BOF elements to perform its intended task(s)? This might also give Ford a distinct marketing edge against GM, as I haven't seen any mention that the Hummer (and Silverado by extension) have such an element to their chassis. Interested to hear your thoughts.

A lot to digest: Farley states what many here have said: Farley says here what we all need to watch - more battery plants are coming: Interesting comments on dealers - commercial and retail: https://www.autonews.com/talk-top/fords-jim-farley-ev-plan-exactly-what-we-need

Yes.

In fact, GM's so called Factory Zero is not a dedicated plant for pickups - it will build the Hummer p/u and SUV, the Silverado (initially), and the Cruise Origin. GM is on the cusp of announcing a renovation of Orion plant to be a dedicated EV p/u plant, but has not yet put pen to paper: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/gm-plans-invest-over-3-bln-ev-projects-michigan-wsj-2021-12-10/ They should be able to complete Orion before BOC comes online, but not by a "couple of years". Plus, GM have not yet announced a (rumored) battery plant for Michigan yet either, which would presumably go hand in hand with Orion. Again, not that far ahead of Ford.

I'm stuck where you are - I know what the CEO's have stated, but it's difficult to reconcile with what is being detailed here. There must be some substance to what they've stated, as they both have made multi billion dollar decisions based on their beliefs.

Except that's not what Farley said.

What the VW CEO witnessed when he toured Tesla was convincing enough for him.