Ford reports Q4 earnings and Farley reveals new small affordable EV Platform being developed by skunkworks team

[llinthicum1]

4th Quarter Earnings:
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/06/ford-f-q4-2023-earnings.html

Small EV Platform developed by Ford EV skunkworks team:
https://insideevs.com/news/707658/ford-cheap-ev-platform-farley/#:~:text=A small "skunkworks" team within,Jim Farley said on Tuesday.&text=A small team within Ford,Jim Farley said on Tuesday.

Hope it's not too small. Yes, EV prices definetly need to come down, but U.S. consumers really don't like small cars, witness the demise of small gas vehicles available in the U.S. People like their space, options, and technology.

Sponsored

 

[timbop]

Ford gave up on coupes long ago (the Mustang excepted), so I'm thinking something in the realm of a Ranger or Maverick BEV. There might also be a bolt-sized compact CUV, but we'll have to see.

 

[TheSteelRider]

Ford gave up on coupes long ago (the Mustang excepted), so I'm thinking something in the realm of a ranger BEV. There might also be a bolt-sized compact CUV, but we'll have to see.

You'd think they are learning that, yes, there clearly is a market for small pickups with the demand for the Maverick so I would think / hope you are right and that's a market they go after.

 

[timbop]

You'd think they are learning that, yes, there clearly is a market for small pickups with the demand for the Maverick so I would think / hope you are right and that's a market they go after.

I initially wrote Ranger and meant Maverick ?

 

[TheSteelRider]

Hey Patrick @Mach-E VLOG thought it might be a Maverick too. Great minds think alike ? ?

 

[The Electric Duo]

Hey Patrick @Mach-E VLOG thought it might be a Maverick too. Great minds think alike ? ?

I'd be pretty excited by an electric Maverick.

 

[Hammered]

Ford doesn't really have a chance in hell in competing with tesla on the 'cheap' EV. They're gaining access to LMFP through through their nevada batt plant, and nobody in the world can come close to what they're able to do with those presses. Tesla has ~30bil $ on hand and massive expansion underway. Maybe if ford is lucky tesla will find a way to buy them when they fold. They could learn a thing or two about trucks cuz cyberflop is just bad. $50k truck priced at $80k with suckers paying well over that for them.

 

[luckie]

Ford doesn't really have a chance in hell in competing with tesla on the 'cheap' EV. They're gaining access to LMFP through through their nevada batt plant, and nobody in the world can come close to what they're able to do with those presses. Tesla has ~30bil $ on hand and massive expansion underway. Maybe if ford is lucky tesla will find a way to buy them when they fold. They could learn a thing or two about trucks cuz cyberflop is just bad. $50k truck priced at $80k with suckers paying well over that for them.

This was unexpected, dude, where did all the negative energy come from? ?

 

[Hammered]

This was unexpected, dude, where did all the negative energy come from? ?

Ford and GM are in trouble. Chinese (and tesla) are ramping up to build cars in mexico using tesla's formula. Legacy auto is at the point where the iceberg has already passed the ship. 3 years from now the coffin will be built and they'll have a leg in it. Even if ford had the federal rebate and nobody else did, they still can't build at the real competition's price point. It's going to be at the very least a repeat of the japanese auto invasion. I suggest reading up on it if you're not fresh on what occurred. From 1980 to today, 'the big 3' market share went from 80% to 40%. They've got too much debt and can't pivot fast enough to remain competitive.

Just take a look at europe right now.

China is the undisputed king in battery technology right now and this current admin won't even let ford license the LMFP tech to be built in the US. Give credit where it's due. Otherwise there's going to be a few dozen chinese auto plants in mexico flooding the US with vehicles at price points not even tesla can match. Personally I see tesla's as over-priced cheap cars. Cheap interiors, mediocre styling, mediocre range, mediocre charging (not to be confused with the MME's poor charging). Chinese company will start flooding the US (cause it's mexican goods) with offerings tesla can't compete with.

Tesla built up a reputation of somewhat premium branding (not really sure how) when they're model T basic IMO. Great engineers, horrible HMI. They cut far too many parts instead using minimal buttons and the screen. As much as I'd like to see 80% or more of laws straight deleted, we could use a simple law ending any vehicle function being gated into the screen. Trying to play with a dash integrated ipad for basic vehicle functions is beyond ignorant. Digging through the screen to find the wipers, in the rain? WTH?

I spent $200k on fords last year, but I can read the writing on the wall.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

Ford gave up on coupes long ago (the Mustang excepted), so I'm thinking something in the realm of a Ranger or Maverick BEV. There might also be a bolt-sized compact CUV, but we'll have to see.

Those would be smart choices.

 

[Guss-E 2021]

I'd be pretty excited by an electric Maverick.

Borrowed my lady's Maverick Lariat Hybrid while my HVBJB was being replaced. It really is a great little vehicle. Would be brilliant as a battery electric at the right range/price balance.

 

[Blue highway]

Ford and GM are in trouble. Chinese (and tesla) are ramping up to build cars in mexico using tesla's formula. Legacy auto is at the point where the iceberg has already passed the ship. 3 years from now the coffin will be built and they'll have a leg in it. Even if ford had the federal rebate and nobody else did, they still can't build at the real competition's price point. It's going to be at the very least a repeat of the japanese auto invasion. I suggest reading up on it if you're not fresh on what occurred. From 1980 to today, 'the big 3' market share went from 80% to 40%. They've got too much debt and can't pivot fast enough to remain competitive.

Just take a look at europe right now.

China is the undisputed king in battery technology right now and this current admin won't even let ford license the LMFP tech to be built in the US. Give credit where it's due. Otherwise there's going to be a few dozen chinese auto plants in mexico flooding the US with vehicles at price points not even tesla can match. Personally I see tesla's as over-priced cheap cars. Cheap interiors, mediocre styling, mediocre range, mediocre charging (not to be confused with the MME's poor charging). Chinese company will start flooding the US (cause it's mexican goods) with offerings tesla can't compete with.

Tesla built up a reputation of somewhat premium branding (not really sure how) when they're model T basic IMO. Great engineers, horrible HMI. They cut far too many parts instead using minimal buttons and the screen. As much as I'd like to see 80% or more of laws straight deleted, we could use a simple law ending any vehicle function being gated into the screen. Trying to play with a dash integrated ipad for basic vehicle functions is beyond ignorant. Digging through the screen to find the wipers, in the rain? WTH?

I spent $200k on fords last year, but I can read the writing on the wall.

I agree the real threats are Tesla, the Chinese, and Fords cost structure. Ford needs a Chevy Bolt like car the size of the MME (Americans like big cars... duh) that costs 2/3 as much... that could actually be produced at a profit. Which is a lot harder than it sounds.

And that is the hurdle...
To make money a manufacturer has to use gigacastings (take parts out) build with little labor cost (automate and use cheap labor) and get tax benefits in the US. If you miss a development generation you don't catch back up.

The MME is really excellent car... but to sell in big numbers it has to cost $10K less... and without massive de-contenting that is not going to happen.

The growing chants from the morons Luddites that think that ICE cars are the future of the US auto industry are a problem... If GM and Ford don't execute really well with EVs, they will not be in business in 10 years. All we will have is Tesla, the Chinese brands, and a few niche high end cars from Europe...

 

[lesz]

Ford and GM are in trouble. Chinese (and tesla) are ramping up to build cars in mexico using tesla's formula. Legacy auto is at the point where the iceberg has already passed the ship. 3 years from now the coffin will be built and they'll have a leg in it. Even if ford had the federal rebate and nobody else did, they still can't build at the real competition's price point. It's going to be at the very least a repeat of the japanese auto invasion. I suggest reading up on it if you're not fresh on what occurred. From 1980 to today, 'the big 3' market share went from 80% to 40%. They've got too much debt and can't pivot fast enough to remain competitive.

Just take a look at europe right now.

China is the undisputed king in battery technology right now and this current admin won't even let ford license the LMFP tech to be built in the US. Give credit where it's due. Otherwise there's going to be a few dozen chinese auto plants in mexico flooding the US with vehicles at price points not even tesla can match. Personally I see tesla's as over-priced cheap cars. Cheap interiors, mediocre styling, mediocre range, mediocre charging (not to be confused with the MME's poor charging). Chinese company will start flooding the US (cause it's mexican goods) with offerings tesla can't compete with.

Tesla built up a reputation of somewhat premium branding (not really sure how) when they're model T basic IMO. Great engineers, horrible HMI. They cut far too many parts instead using minimal buttons and the screen. As much as I'd like to see 80% or more of laws straight deleted, we could use a simple law ending any vehicle function being gated into the screen. Trying to play with a dash integrated ipad for basic vehicle functions is beyond ignorant. Digging through the screen to find the wipers, in the rain? WTH?

I spent $200k on fords last year, but I can read the writing on the wall.

I remember a similar argument about how nobody could compete with IBM at one time on small computers. then came Apple, technology got cheaper, etc.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Electric Escape perhaps?

 

[dtbaker61]

4th Quarter Earnings:
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/06/ford-f-q4-2023-earnings.html

Small EV Platform developed by Ford EV skunkworks team:
https://insideevs.com/news/707658/ford-cheap-ev-platform-farley/#:~:text=A small "skunkworks" team within,Jim Farley said on Tuesday.&text=A small team within Ford,Jim Farley said on Tuesday.

Hope it's not too small. Yes, EV prices definetly need to come down, but U.S. consumers really don't like small cars, witness the demise of small gas vehicles available in the U.S. People like their space, options, and technology.

*some* people would prefer smaller, less expensive vehicles with less tech. I am hoping its a lot of people...

there is such a huge gap between what 'we' WANT and what we NEED for basic, even fun, transportation for daily driving.

Sponsored