rmc523 Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 Low Cost Ford EV Platform Will Support Up To Eight Body Styles According to Axios, the low-cost Ford EV platform will support up to eight body styles, a revelation that came from Lisa Drake, Ford’s vice president of Technology Platform Programs and EV Systems, while she was speaking with investors last week. Drake noted that these vehicles could include crossovers, trucks, and even possibly sedans, all of which will use lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries that are being developed with technology licensed from CATL and built in the U.S., all with an effort to keep costs as low as possible. --- Knowing Ford, that's 8 over the next 30 years, 6 of which will be cancelled next year, 4 revived the year after that, before being cancelled for good, alongside the discontinuation of 2 other models in the lineup without replacements... 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinaw Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 You joke, but there's a very good chance that the new LFP battery plant in Michigan may not happen. I those batteries go away, I expect many changes to their EV product plans. See today's Autoline Daily. Go to the 4:30 mark. https://www.autoline.tv/daily/ad-4080-is-gm-trying-to-torpedo-ford-battery-plant-u-s-tariffs-will-raise-car-prices-by-1760-zoox-starts-building-avs-in-california/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeluxeStang Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 I'm very excited to see what the "None obvious" body styles could be. By obvious, I mean we all know Ford is gonna offer a truck, a utility, and maybe a van. But what are the other 5 form factors? Is it possible we ever see like a fun hatchback, or even some sort of smaller fun coupe based on this platform? Probably not, but just let me dream damn it 😂. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 (edited) Coulda woulda shoulda. Just build something already, or at least show some prototypes. Edited June 19 by akirby 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-dubz Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 12 minutes ago, akirby said: Coulda woulda shoulda. Just build something already, or at least show some prototypes. Exactly, seems like we’ve been hearing about these for years now 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-dubz Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 2 hours ago, rmc523 said: Knowing Ford, that's 8 over the next 30 years, 6 of which will be cancelled next year, 4 revived the year after that, before being cancelled for good, alongside the discontinuation of 2 other models in the lineup without replacements... Don’t forget when they actually do go on sale, they will no longer be low cost. Then they won’t update it for years which will eventually lead to its cancellation anyway. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeluxeStang Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 34 minutes ago, akirby said: Coulda woulda shoulda. Just build something already, or at least show some prototypes. I get these brands want to be secretive, but I've been saying for some time I'd like it if Ford openly revealed design sketches, and concepts to the public years in advance instead of revealing them right before production. Give designers time to change styling cues if they aren't well received by the public instead of only revealing something once the design is locked in. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeluxeStang Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 23 minutes ago, T-dubz said: Exactly, seems like we’ve been hearing about these for years now To be fair, that's how it almost always goes in the auto industry. It's not the wait that annoys me, it's the wait with very little information in-between. If they were breaking up the time with teasers, it wouldn't be so bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick73 Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 I’m looking forward to see what “simple in nature” and also “lacking in terms of high-tech features” means to Ford. Wasn’t a direct quote so who knows if even accurate? Quote We’ve known for some time now that Ford has a special Skunk Works team working on developing a new, low-cost EV platform, which is set to underpin more than one future model. This low-cost Ford EV platform will be simple in nature and lacking in terms of high-tech features like full autonomy, all with an eye toward driving down the price of those models and making them more attainable and competitive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzcat Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 (edited) Putting 8 different bodies on top of a shared chassis? Stop the presses! Why didn't someone think of this idea before? Some of these publications are really grasping at the straws 😄 Edited June 20 by bzcat 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbone Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 9 hours ago, rmc523 said: Low Cost Ford EV Platform Will Support Up To Eight Body Styles According to Axios, the low-cost Ford EV platform will support up to eight body styles, a revelation that came from Lisa Drake, Ford’s vice president of Technology Platform Programs and EV Systems, while she was speaking with investors last week. Drake noted that these vehicles could include crossovers, trucks, and even possibly sedans, all of which will use lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries that are being developed with technology licensed from CATL and built in the U.S., all with an effort to keep costs as low as possible. --- Knowing Ford, that's 8 over the next 30 years, 6 of which will be cancelled next year, 4 revived the year after that, before being cancelled for good, alongside the discontinuation of 2 other models in the lineup without replacements... Don’t forget some immediate decontenting thrown in there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 16 hours ago, DeluxeStang said: I'm very excited to see what the "None obvious" body styles could be. By obvious, I mean we all know Ford is gonna offer a truck, a utility, and maybe a van. But what are the other 5 form factors? Is it possible we ever see like a fun hatchback, or even some sort of smaller fun coupe based on this platform? Probably not, but just let me dream damn it 😂. Meh.....sadly, I'm taking a "who cares/not even going to get hopes up" type approach since it's Ford and it's likely we won't see them anyway. We'll get the truck, utility and van and then they'll change direction again. 14 hours ago, Rick73 said: I’m looking forward to see what “simple in nature” and also “lacking in terms of high-tech features” means to Ford. Wasn’t a direct quote so who knows if even accurate? I believe Farley has been directly quoted as saying it won't have autonomous features, as the article/quote said. “The lower cost vehicles, you can’t put a level three electric architecture in,” Farley stated at the recent Wolfe Research Auto, Auto Tech and Semiconductor Conference. “So we’re not going to have LiDAR systems and all sorts of very sophisticated sensor set because it won’t be affordable. It’ll have its own electric architecture, which is great, but we’re not going to put all the bells and whistles on it at that price point.” https://fordauthority.com/2025/02/ford-ceo-jim-farley-says-low-cost-evs-wont-have-l3-adas-tech/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 As posted above, too, if that CATL plant is in jeopardy, it sounds like it could torpedo the entire skunkworks program altogether, which sounds like typical Ford to paint themselves in a corner and then just cancel everything, yet again leaving years long gaps in product cadence.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherminator98 Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 17 hours ago, mackinaw said: You joke, but there's a very good chance that the new LFP battery plant in Michigan may not happen. I those batteries go away, I expect many changes to their EV product plans. See today's Autoline Daily. Go to the 4:30 mark. https://www.autoline.tv/daily/ad-4080-is-gm-trying-to-torpedo-ford-battery-plant-u-s-tariffs-will-raise-car-prices-by-1760-zoox-starts-building-avs-in-california/ Don't they already have a plant in Michigan they are working on? I know one was cancelled and another was half way done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 44 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said: Don't they already have a plant in Michigan they are working on? I know one was cancelled and another was half way done? Is that not the one they're referring to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick73 Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 3 hours ago, rmc523 said: I believe Farley has been directly quoted as saying it won't have autonomous features, as the article/quote said. “The lower cost vehicles, you can’t put a level three electric architecture in,” Farley stated at the recent Wolfe Research Auto, Auto Tech and Semiconductor Conference. “So we’re not going to have LiDAR systems and all sorts of very sophisticated sensor set because it won’t be affordable. It’ll have its own electric architecture, which is great, but we’re not going to put all the bells and whistles on it at that price point.” https://fordauthority.com/2025/02/ford-ceo-jim-farley-says-low-cost-evs-wont-have-l3-adas-tech/ That’s promising from my perspective, as is another quote from Farley, though in my opinion we’ll have to see where all this actually ends up. Any real effort to reduce complexity should pay off, especially if that simpler design is not only easier to manufacture, but also simpler to maintain and repair as it gets older. Quote “Look we, we have really smart people in skunkworks and the actual innovation is a little different than people think,” Farley said at the recent 2025 Wolfe Research Auto, Auto Tech, and Semiconductor Conference. “The actual innovation is to design a vehicle for manufacturability. For the simplest smallest footprint in a plant with the lowest labor content and that drives a lot of complexity reduction, massive complexity reduction and it requires large and new investments like unit casting in the front and the rear of the vehicle for it to be made completely differently.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 A single pcm and touchscreen controlling everything except maybe locks and windows. Rear view camera, air bags. Automatic headlamps. No backup sensors. AA or CP for infotainment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorpsychology Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 1 hour ago, akirby said: A single pcm and touchscreen controlling everything except maybe locks and windows. Rear view camera, air bags. Automatic headlamps. No backup sensors. AA or CP for infotainment. Android and Car Play, along with Sirius/XM could be offered as an optional package (Premium Screen Package?). Sync3 would also hold down costs and complexity- Ford Digital Experience and associated hardware is extravagant and more costly to install. Basically offer MY 2009-level equipment. Except for 6 CD changers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 I also take his comments to mean that these CE1 vehicles will still have level 1 and 2 capabilities (i.e. up to current Blue Cruise capabilities), just not beyond that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazerdude20 Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 7 hours ago, rmc523 said: Meh.....sadly, I'm taking a "who cares/not even going to get hopes up" type approach since it's Ford and it's likely we won't see them anyway. We'll get the truck, utility and van and then they'll change direction again. I believe Farley has been directly quoted as saying it won't have autonomous features, as the article/quote said. “The lower cost vehicles, you can’t put a level three electric architecture in,” Farley stated at the recent Wolfe Research Auto, Auto Tech and Semiconductor Conference. “So we’re not going to have LiDAR systems and all sorts of very sophisticated sensor set because it won’t be affordable. It’ll have its own electric architecture, which is great, but we’re not going to put all the bells and whistles on it at that price point.” https://fordauthority.com/2025/02/ford-ceo-jim-farley-says-low-cost-evs-wont-have-l3-adas-tech/ Level 3 would be cool but I am pretty sure bluecruise is level 2? If so, that level of capability is already plenty for a lower price range vehicle. I mean you can’t even get basic adaptive cruise in the maverick without being in a lariat trim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzcat Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 I hope CE1 OS should be easy to upgrade over the air to enable Level 3 or any other future enhancements. That should be a bare minimum requirement for all new platform now days. Ford hasn't said much about CE1 other than it will be cost competitive with Chinese EVs. I hope they are not just narrowly focused on bill of material costs. One thing that Chinese OEMs do really well is the software which enables them reduce costs in lots of ways. They are years ahead of Ford and most non-Chinese OEMs, including Tesla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 Adaptive cruise and blue cruise requires gps and cameras and other sensors. I don’t see any of that at least not on base versions. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 (edited) 1 hour ago, bzcat said: I hope CE1 OS should be easy to upgrade over the air to enable Level 3 or any other future enhancements. That should be a bare minimum requirement for all new platform now days. The efforts were concentrated around ease of manufacturing and reduction in body shop steps (gigacastings) Having a high series and lower series operating system wouldn’t be a big ask, more like CE1+ for Lincoln? Yeah, I could see that. 1 hour ago, bzcat said: Ford hasn't said much about CE1 other than it will be cost competitive with Chinese EVs. I hope they are not just narrowly focused on bill of material costs. One thing that Chinese OEMs do really well is the software which enables them reduce costs in lots of ways. They are years ahead of Ford and most non-Chinese OEMs, including Tesla. My gut feeling is that they are replicating the build tech in Tesla Models 3 and Y albeit with different top hats. I can see how that would work well for Ford especially with lower cost and safer LFP batteries. PR talking about up to eight different top hats is a bit wishful, especially when they still haven’t shown the pickup that’s due in 2027. My concern is that it’s been so long since Ford has shown the market anything new that Ford now resort to product envelope potential rather that what it will actually deliver in the coming years.. Edited June 20 by jpd80 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 A big part of future CE1 model roll out and timing is now about what Ford does with its ICE PHEVs that people now seem more open to buying. Its an interesting time for Ford and hoping they don’t lock into either/or choice but press forward with both types of vehicles and let buyers decide what they want. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeluxeStang Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 (edited) Hypothetically speaking, if Ford did use this platform to bring sedans back to the market, how likely is it that it would be something in a similar style to one of these? They start are around 29k, it's arguably Farley's favorite EV seeing as he drove one for over 6 months and couldn't stop talking about it, and it would mean offering a more compelling aspirational sedan instead of a generic blob. Edited June 21 by DeluxeStang 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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