In the latest round of decontenting - the '26 Bronco Sport loses the standard 12.3" digital cluster - I'm guessing it'll have regular gauges surrounding a smaller screen again?  Black Diamond package also loses a bunch of standard features.   2026 Ford Bronco Sport Ditches 12.3-Inch Cluster Display For Three Trims   According to sources familiar with the matter, the 12.3-inch instrument cluster display is being killed off from the 2026 Ford Bronco Big Bend, Heritage, and Outer Banks trims. In its place, these three trims get the eight-inch cluster display as standard, a modest step down. For context, the 12.3-inch cluster display was formerly standard on all Bronco Sport trims.       There are also some changes headed to the 2026 Ford Bronco Sport Black Diamond Package. The bundle loses its cargo mat, cargo management system, rubberized second-row seatbacks, fender tie-downs, interior grab handles, molded-in-color (MIC) bumper with a steel plate, and the two D-ring rear recovery hooks - although these can still be purchased as standalone, extra-cost options.

I think it'll fall somewhere right in the middle and straddle the compact/midsize segments.  I think your last sentences are accurate, though the "considerably" is probably excessive.     I agree that they should at least have an entrant, and keep it up to date until they do move forward with T3.     They definitely need to take CE1 learnings and apply it to T3.  If they can manage to make a small inexpensive vehicle profitable, how/why can't they do the same for a larger vehicle?     I don't really think this is telling us much at all......aside from things we already knew - that ICE F-150 is the profit driver for the whole company.  It also represents 40% of the entire company's sales, vs 1.4% of sales?  Naturally they're going to prioritize it.  

The full size BOF SUV segment is one of the few where rebadge efforts are accepted.   Other segments aren't, and will undo all the work Lincoln/Ford have done to separate/differentiate the two.  Advocating reverting to the rebadge approach makes zero sense to me, regardless of which comes first.     This is what they were working on, and apparently the proportions were terrible and they canned it.       So you want a more traditional SUV profile, not the fastback type like Mach E.

That just means regular F150s are more profitable than Lightnings which is not a surprise.  F150 is probably more profitable than just about everything else.

Greedy electrical unions lobby for this legislation. Just like every ten years they come up with another plug configuration so school buildings need upgrades. New dryers used to be 3-pronged -- probably originally 2-pronged. They are are now 4-pronged. I get the grounding advantage.  But you don't need any more prongs. But someday they'll be 5 pronged, then 6, then 7. In the name of safety of course!  Baloney!  Traffic lights went from 1 signal to 2 in each direction.  Good idea since either a bulb might burn out or a truck might block your view. But now a third signal is creeping onto the scene. Someday there will be 4 in each direction, then 5, then 6. It will never end.  Greed.

Twenty minutes is still too long when I can fill my gas tank in 5 minutes.  Charging overnight is not a problem. Stopping for recharge on the road is a problem.

73 % of Americans say they can't afford a new car. Car loan defaults are at record highs. How can the automotive industry survive if only 27 % of the buying public is able to afford a NEW car?  Well you have to charge more money for the cars that are being sold!  Just like these fire truck mfrs. They only sell a relatively few trucks, so they ask ridiculous amounts of money for them, strangling the taxpayer. I don't care how much diamond plate, steel, aluminum, electronics or hydraulics is in these trucks, they're not worth a million dollars or more!  The balloon is filling up with air. Every once in a while the powers that be untie the balloon in the form of easing interest rates etc. because they don't want the balloon to pop. Now you have the govt. shutdown.  The United States and many states are broke!  The balloon will pop. Get ready for it. Oh but wait. Never mind.  AI -- as in Skynet from the Terminator movies --  will become self-aware and will take over our entire lives including our military defense systems and life on this planet will just about be wiped out. So you won't have to worry about money. The book 1984 written back 60 or so years ago predicted Big Brother as in big business/govt. will know every move you make.  Of course that came true.  And so will the Terminator prediction.  Have a nice day now!

The biggest tell is that Ford is prepared to pause Lightning production  and give the aluminium bodies over to other F Series production.   I feel for Ford, things are really piling up on them, aluminum, chips, and a major course correction with BEVs.   Is is any wonder that Ford constantly tears up and redoes it plans.. Mind you, when a corporate goes all in on a production path, there can be serious ramifications if they need to suddenly switch. I hope Ford comes up with a beautiful Segway to hybrids and EREVs.

We all knew at some point Ford will start having capacity utilization issues.