What difference does it make whether the Scout has sold any vehicles yet? The point was whether an ICE is the better investment either as a range extender or a complementary propulsive unit. Without huge government giveaways, please help me understand why you think consumer purchases of all-electric vehicles will "conclusively make up at least a significant portion of the market"? What I'm seeing suggests the opposite, even with currently high gas prices.  To me, it looks like Ford is gambling that consumers will accept (i.e., "buy") an all-electric vehicle's compromises if the price is low enough.  My question, though, was this:  whether a lost-cost, quality hybrid vehicle would be a better sales bet. 

I heard they want to build an EREV SD there. Multi energy at the plant according to ford media release. So gas, diesel and EREV. 

Honestly unless the vehicles suck, if they keep it under $35,000 then at least 100,000 should be attainable across the truck and crossover. They sold 97,000 EVs in 2024 at like a $10,000 higher price point

Scout hasn’t sold a single vehicle yet, and Ford has multiple hybrids + is working on making everything hybrid. It isn’t mutually exclusive with this platform. Electric vehicles conclusively will make up at least a significant portion of the market, especially in the segments the platform is targeting. The issue is price, and this platform is meant to address that. If it can deliver on that part then it should perform basically like how the Maverick has.

It depends on the price point. There seems to be genuinely strong, natural demand for more affordable EVs.    If Ford delivers an affordable EV that's compelling, it has decent range 250-300 miles, looks good, has decent quality and tech, I think it'll be successful. 

That's my point.  Ford isn't as good at making money on sedans as the imports and they're not as good as Ford at trucks, suvs and sports cars.  Each company is unique and Ford doesn't want to sell ubiquitous sedans.     That said, the reset on EVs, unutilized capacity at Flat Rock and Ford's desire to make Mustang a sub brand sounds like it will yield a mustang sedan. 

Most of the ROW automakers don't bother with BOF trucks because it's a NA niche market that's fiercely loyal to the big two and a half. Toyotas spent decades trying to crack this market with a damn good full size pickup that's barely selling enough to keep a plant busy. As for mid size BOF, that's Toyota's specialty but still a niche market primarily in developing countries. So no surprise most of the ROW automakers have mostly ignored the BOF market. Meanwhile, Ford don't even have a 4 door sedan left, despite the fact that a $40K and up sedan can't help but be profitable.

Nissan poorly served that market, yea you're right about that. Then again, Nissan has been strugglin' in many ways in the past few years.   Toyota on the other hand has been a strong player with body on frame trucks for a long time. Last year they sold over 422,000 BOF pickup trucks in the U.S. Add BOF SUV and the total is over 635,000.