JP, do you have an extra zero on your weight specification? Don't you mean about 10 Kg per kWhr for LFP batteries? I don't thing a 100 kWhr LFP pack in the Lightning weighs 22,000 pounds.   So, you are suggesting a more conventional PHEV drive train for the new F-150 Lightning as opposed to an EREV, correct?

Thinking about BEV Lightning to an EREV version, LFP batteries at their best are about 100 Kg (220 lb) per KWHr. So if Lightning’s battery was reduced  from about 100 Kwhr to say, 40 Kwhr, then that would be a weight reduction of approximately 600 Kg (1320 lb) To my mind, redesigning the front transaxle to include say, a transverse 2.3 EB coupled to an upgraded split cycle hybrid transmission that incorporates into a modified version of the current electric front drive is probably doable.   If possible, the above would be a brilliant pivot to a vehicle that gives it a ton of coverage CAFE wise as well as something not unlike a larger version of say, the BYD Shark 6. Considering all that added  versatility, a vehicle like the above could be a hell yeah moment for North American buyers.

For the Bantam based on 5th Gen Fiesta, Ford South Africa reused an existing load box from the older previous models but everything  forward of the B Pillar was 5th Gen Fiesta.   The South American Courier used shorter doors and a new load box, both it and the Bantam were exercises in developing affordable  vehicles on the smell of an oil rag, something Mulally never got.   I suspect that the rapid development locked out development of RHD version at the time and even if preserved pathway, now makes the cost prohibitive for what would be smallish markets, Rhe lack of a single cab and longer bed is also unfortunate for markets wanting something that’s  below Ranger in cost and 4WD ruggedness not required.     I would have thought that reusing some equipment for Saarlouis and Louisville may have been useful but yeah, I guess Thailand and China resoirces used for southern hemisphere markets was never contemplated - another casualty of over focusing on all electric future. Maybe Ford will eventually see the light that a C2 plant for Thailand or export form China now makes sense for markets that have free trade agreements with China and Thailand.

Ford Brazil also designed its own Fiesta pickup (Courier). This was the part that drove Alan Mularly crazy 😆 How did a company like Ford allowed two nearly identical vehicles on the same platform to be separately developed as to be mutually exclusive...   ~~~   Maverick clearly has appeal in many different markets but I suspect Ford just doesn't want to spend the money on N-CAP certification so it can only be sold in markets that allow NHTSA standards (e.g. Canada, Mexico, most of Latin America, GCC, Korea). Lacking RHD is also an obvious cost containment decision... it's not an unreasonable choice but it locks out Australia, NZ, Southeast Asia, and Southern Africa - all key markets for pickup trucks.    Another issue fully exposed by this Maverick problem... Ford's lack of low cost production base. Thailand, South Africa, and Argentina are all maxed out building Ranger, Everest, and VW Amarok. There is no C2 plant anywhere to build Maverick in volume for the markets I mentioned above. I thought Farley was going to restart India for this purpose but he cut bait again.  

I have not been in a 2025, but, I have been in a 2020 ST, and can say that I was not impressed with the dash styling or quality. 2025 looks better in the video reviews I have seen and material quality seems to have been improved, but I hate that they are removing buttons requiring the use of the touchscreen.   I agree that color choices for the interior are lacking, but Ford does not seem to have much issue selling them so far!   But hey, it is a free country, you can buy what you want!!

Much of the problems with Ford’s vehicles are its own making, look how quickly Maverick was developed when the need for a “gap filler” product was recognised and pursued with the right attitude.   I hope that the same sort of mission statements were applied to certain other vehicles, the long time period to market is what kills a lot of opportunity but the right people can speed this up.

The Bantam was based in the Fiesta and restricted to a single cab vehicle, so the appeal was limited and never sold outside of Southern Africa.

Easy, Ford is very successful and profitable in the largest segments of the commercial vehicle markets.    

fingers crossed it works

honestly I do wonder if ROW is hesitant to add Maverick because of that, in a similar fashion to how NA was hesitant to add the current form Ranger to potentially affect F-150 sales.   At least in our market, we’ve seen it hasn’t had an affect on F-150 sales, but obviously has been affected by Maverick.  But as pointed out above, there are other factors involved (factory utilization is a big one).