Oil Thrown on Ford F-150 Lightning at NY Auto Show

[ice-capades]

Oil Thrown on Ford F-150 Lightning at NY Auto Show

https://fordauthority.com/2024/04/oil-thrown-on-ford-f-150-lightning-at-ny-auto-show-video/

 

 

With interest – and participation – in auto shows waning as of late, it wasn’t terribly surprising to learn that Ford didn’t bother to reveal any new or refreshed models at the 2024 New York Auto Show, while Lincoln didn’t even participate at all. However, those that attended the prestigious, long-running event did wind up seeing a different sort of spectacle – one that wasn’t exactly on the official docket – as a group of climate protestors interrupted the proceedings, with one of them dumping oil on the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear EV demonstrator.

 

 

The entire incident was caught on camera, and began when protestors from a group called the Extinction Rebellion walked in front of the Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear as it was driving onto the stage. A man proceeded to apologize for the interruption, saying that “this is an emergency – a climate emergency. Our love of cars is killing us, it is killing the earth. Electric vehicles will not save us…there are no cars on a dead planet. We need to change…there’s another way.”

 

At the same time, the protestor began to dump what appears to be oil on the ground in front of the Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear, at least until officials pulled him away. However, shortly thereafter, another protestor appeared and poured oil directly onto the hood of the EV pickup, though he and his cohort were quickly removed from the scene as well.

 

According to CBS News, this group – which just interrupted a Broadway play dubbed “An Enemy of the People” last week – are protesting the negative environmental impact caused by the mining of raw materials used in the construction of electric vehicles. It’s unclear what happened to the protestors following this incident, but none were arrested after they interrupted the aforementioned play a few days ago.

Edited April 2 by ice-capades
Additional Content

[DeluxeStang]

Why does anyone think this will persuade people to support and join their movement? I don't care what your beliefs are, what you do or don't support, but the second you turn to vandalism and childish outbursts, I lose respect for you and your cause. 

 

Put together a compelling argument, and I'll listen even if my beliefs are completely the opposite. I respect people who think differently than me, that's how you get the best conversations, but if you're throwing shit and screaming, you're just a child who isn't worth our time. 

[Rick73]

1 hour ago, DeluxeStang said:

Why does anyone think this will persuade people to support and join their movement?

Their goal was likely getting attention on subject matter, and this thread proves it worked. 😆 

 

When companies like Ford and GM design and manufacture BEVs that require so much battery capacity and consume so much electricity, it really goes against everything environmental purist stand for.  If the primary goal of electrification is to reduce greenhouse gases then vehicles like this Lightning or GM Hummers can easily be seen as insults to their cause.  I obviously disagree with their tactics and would throw their ass in jail, otherwise we will soon end up with other forms of demonstrations like what happened to Tesla in Germany.  I can see what they likely feel as being betrayed by manufacturers, but agree with you they need to find a better way to make their point.

 

 

[silvrsvt]

21 minutes ago, Rick73 said:

When companies like Ford and GM design and manufacture BEVs that require so much battery capacity and consume so much electricity, it really goes against everything environmental purist stand for.  If the primary goal of electrification is to reduce greenhouse gases then vehicles like this Lightning or GM Hummers can easily be seen as insults to their cause.  I obviously disagree with their tactics and would throw their ass in jail, otherwise we will soon end up with other forms of demonstrations like what happened to Tesla in Germany.  I can see what they likely feel as being betrayed by manufacturers, but agree with you they need to find a better way to make their point.

 

But there is the thing-there is no placating people like this...come out with more efficient vehicles and they'll find something else to bitch about

 

Ford and GMs first priory is make their shareholders happy by building products people want to buy and large trucks are the most popular segment that can sell at a profitable margin for them.

[DeluxeStang]

3 hours ago, Rick73 said:

Their goal was likely getting attention on subject matter, and this thread proves it worked. 😆 

 

When companies like Ford and GM design and manufacture BEVs that require so much battery capacity and consume so much electricity, it really goes against everything environmental purist stand for.  If the primary goal of electrification is to reduce greenhouse gases then vehicles like this Lightning or GM Hummers can easily be seen as insults to their cause.  I obviously disagree with their tactics and would throw their ass in jail, otherwise we will soon end up with other forms of demonstrations like what happened to Tesla in Germany.  I can see what they likely feel as being betrayed by manufacturers, but agree with you they need to find a better way to make their point.

 

 

But contrary to popular belief, not all publicity is good publicity. If a group acts out in a way that makes me think "Wow what a bunch of dipshits" that group was better off not having anyone pay attention to them. Literally no car brand is gonna see people like this and change their product plans to please them directly, like silversvt said, it's a lost cause, they'll always find something else to bitch about. 

 

On the topic of environmental studies, it's true the process of mining for rare earth minerals isn't exactly eco friendly, but we'll almost certainly find ways to improve on that with enough time. For now, let's not let perfection stand in the path of good enough. Studies have shown that EVs long term are still considerably more environmentally friendly than ICE vehicles over the life of the vehicle, even with the dirty mining process, and being recharged by fossil fuels. 

 

Though it does seem like hybrids are actually the best option for improving the environment, you're producing vehicles with much lower CO2 emissions, while using much smaller battery packs, which obviously require significantly less rare earth materials to manufacturer. 

[silvrsvt]

14 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

Though it does seem like hybrids are actually the best option for improving the environment, you're producing vehicles with much lower CO2 emissions, while using much smaller battery packs, which obviously require significantly less rare earth materials to manufacturer. 

 

Yet another study shows plug-in hybrids aren’t as clean as we thought

 

Quote

Multiple recent studies have shown that in the real world, plug-in hybrids pollute much more than their labels would indicate – though still less than pure-fossil vehicles – both because they overstate their capabilities in electric-only mode and because people simply don’t plug them in.

 

I know this is has been a bone of contention, but it appears people aren't plugging them enough....

[Rick73]

14 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

But contrary to popular belief, not all publicity is good publicity. If a group acts out in a way that makes me think "Wow what a bunch of dipshits" that group was better off not having anyone pay attention to them. Literally no car brand is gonna see people like this and change their product plans to please them directly, like silversvt said, it's a lost cause, they'll always find something else to bitch about. 
 

 

Agree manufacturers won’t change plans directly, but I expect their goal is more about reducing demand for vehicles they consider offensive by shaming potential future buyers.  Didn’t a similar thing happen a long time ago with ICE Hummers on the West Coast?  Extremist wanted to influence buyers’ perception that being wasteful wasn’t cool, and to some degree one could argue that it worked.  The much bigger issue is the slippery slope that would take us back to the Dark Ages.  Is owning a Hummer worse than owning a large boat, private airplane, or a huge motorhome?  What about owning a large house that uses more energy to cool and heat, or flying to Europe on vacation?  What these demonstrators don’t address is that while a pickup truck can be wasteful, and often are, so is much of everyday life depending on someone’s perspective.

 

14 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

 

On the topic of environmental studies, it's true the process of mining for rare earth minerals isn't exactly eco friendly, but we'll almost certainly find ways to improve on that with enough time. For now, let's not let perfection stand in the path of good enough. Studies have shown that EVs long term are still considerably more environmentally friendly than ICE vehicles over the life of the vehicle, even with the dirty mining process, and being recharged by fossil fuels. 
 

 

I’m more concerned with global warming, and from that perspective powering BEVs by building additional coal plants (primarily China and other parts of world) makes little sense.  Similarly, slowing the decommissioning of existing coal plants (USA) because they are needed to cover electrical demand in part due to BEVs has made little sense either.

 

14 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

 

Though it does seem like hybrids are actually the best option for improving the environment, you're producing vehicles with much lower CO2 emissions, while using much smaller battery packs, which obviously require significantly less rare earth materials to manufacturer. 
 

 

Absolutely.  Combined with “conservative” vehicle sizing, hybrid technology is already achieving great results, and I’m confident much better can be accomplished.  That’s not to say upcoming compact BEVs from various manufacturers won’t be competitive, even when powered by electricity generated with coal or natural gas.  I’ve been impressed by a BEV that can average over 5 miles per kWh when driven normally, and look forward to see how much better the next-generation of slightly smaller BEVs can be.  I think there is room for both hybrids and BEVs.