Explorer offers intelligent 4WD.  These days it's all marketing.

My biggest concern is the team is thinking too much like engineers. What I mean by that is creating a vehicle that's very successful at achieving the objectives it set out to, but at the cost of pushing away buyers because they didn't consider the human element. An example of this would be creating a truck that was insanely areo efficient to maximize range, which is great on paper. But giving it an ugly or polarizing design to achieve those aero targets which will be a turn off to a large portion of buyers.    I hope I'm wrong and they took a balanced approach with this thing, and it's just a knock out in all areas. In other words, I hope they learned from the 3 row debacle of a chasing areo at the expense of aesthetics, and realize this truck needs to be great looking and super areo efficient in order to success, not just one or the other. 

This exactly.   The only thing confirmed is that Ford has abandon the electric van that was supposed to compete with Zeekr's Waymo van that was supposed to be made in Ohio. I mentioned that in another thread... another one of Ford's mothballed EV program.    In its place, Ford is going to build a gas hybrid van. Probably a revival of the V758 Maverick van that kept on being delayed in Mexico (was supposed to launch in 2024, then 2025 and then radio silence).    Transit will likely continue with incremental updates. It is Ford's largest worldwide vehicle program where North America, China, and Europe all have significant stakes in. Probably the most profitable vehicle platform beside F-150. I would be shocked if Ford screws around with it much if at all. It is the only Mularly era One-Ford vehicle that survived Farley's blunt axe whacking. 

School bus has low payload requirements and travels in fixed, often low speed, and short routes twice a day. The cooling requirement is vastly different than cargo, ambulance, regular bus/shuttle, delivery van, or motorhome application. It's a really niche market which is why there is only a handful of specialized suppliers. 

To me, this front end looks very similar to the Explorer EV, but stretched a bit to look more truck-like. I wouldn’t be surprised if it looks like this but with the C shape lighting elements the trucks use.

I doubt CD6 is expensive in the conventional sense. As is the case with all other Ford North America production planning decision, it always comes down to capital costs for tooling up a 2nd production site. The CD6 Edge was snuffed because Ford didn't want to convert Oakville to another CD6 plant. The CD6 Mustang was nixed because Ford didn't project enough volume to make it worthwhile at Flat Rock. Ford choose to put its second CD6 Explorer plant in China which on balance is probably the right decision but it limited its option to some something else with that platform in North America.    Same dynamics we see now that Ford is not willing to invest in a second T6 plant in the US which could enable Everest and a Lincoln SUV because it won't sell enough to fully utilized the second plant in North America.     

Originally the 2.3 EB Hybrid Mustang was going to be pitched as sub $40k, not much interest from clinics so they didn’t proceed. At some point I think people started conflating that vehicle with Mustang based four door car which has been circling the airport for years.   Sometimes people see what they want to see……  

10-4. Japan Inc's best kept secret. We bought a 2025 CX-90 last August, and, while we don't love this SUV, we do really like it. The interior appointments punch above its weight, except for Mazda's corporate-wide wonky infotainment system. You can eventually get it to do what you want, but the pathways are non-intuitive.This was almost a deal breaker for us, and I assume others. Good power from its sweet 3.3l. turbo inline six and 8spd AT; with paddle shifters! Ironically, this biggest Mazda is built in Hiroshima, only the CX50 is built here at 50-50 joint venture MTM Huntsville AL. which also produces the Toyota Corolla Cross. CX-90 and other Mazda's are available as a PHEV, but they offer no BEV. Mazda's North American sales were a combined 304,000, or 48% of their total global sales. a plant on this continent might make sense, as Suzuki builds a lot of "affordable" A-and B-class models globally. Mazda's OTC stock (MZDAF) is trading at $8.52, up from $5.50 last April. Maybe the Suzuki deal proposed in the article is making sense to Wall Street as well.

Maybe the compressor isn't under the hood on the Blue Bird ?  Remember, Ford has to build the chassis with the compressor under the hood for ALL upfitters.  BlueBird can customize theirs as they know it's going to be a school bus and they know where that have room with the frame to put stuff like compressors and air tanks.  So, it's really a different ballgame.  Or, maybe they know their heat load and feel it's safe with the compressor under the hood.  Ford has a MUCH wider array of products to build for than Blue Bird's special use case.

Actually, what I found more interesting about that press release was this note.....   Tennessee Truck Plant: On the BlueOval City campus, the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center is renamed Tennessee Truck Plant. The facility will produce all-new Built Ford Tough truck models with production starting in 2029. These new affordable gas-powered trucks will broaden Ford’s truck family and extend its market leadership, replacing the previously planned next-generation electric truck.   They said models, plural...........   It could mean nothing (i.e. trim levels/packages, or even body styles like 2-door, 4-door etc), or it could also mean different vehicles.