"Model T Moment" Means "Change in Assembly"

[dan_meh]

The Ford announcement just wrapped, and it turns out, when Ford says "Model T Moment" they mean "changing manufacturing processes."

Much of what we heard are things that we hear from other manufacturers. We heard about Zonal Architecture (Rivian), "Unicasting" (Tesla, "Gigacasting"), and structural batteries (Tesla). We heard about parts removed, wiring feet eliminated, and systems thinking. Ford, like other legacy manufacturers, is catching up.

To catch up, they're opening their pocketbook to risk. Ford is spending 2 billion to upgrade the Louisville plant. If you add the recently completed battery plant in Michigan, you reach $5 billion in spending. Ford has pulled back investment over the last three years, but $5 billion is still nothing to sneeze at. In Farley's words, it's a bet that Ford can execute on existing ideas better than others.

The EV platform is called the Universal EV Platform. It isn't called a "BEV" platform and there was no mention of a hybrid or range extender. For now, I think that we can assume that it's a pure EV platform.

The first vehicle on the new platform is a mid-sized truck to be released in 2027. Ford's marketing department had to choose something to build, and they picked a mid-sized pickup. I'm disappointed, but I'm not going to tell Ford to build something that they can't make money from.

We heard many claims about the new manufacturing design and platform. I wrote down as many as I could:

• The same range on a third smaller battery (cut 33% of the battery out - unclear if that is weight, volume...)
• The platform will use LFP Batteries
• Manufacturing will use "Unicasting" (Tesla calls it "Gigacasting")
• It will have only two-thirds of the welds as a current vehicle (unclear on the benchmark)
• A quarter of the parts (benchmark unclear)
• Removed 4000 feet of wiring (over 3/4 of a mile)
• Ford Universal EV Platform configurations showed a three-row vehicle
• Zonal architecture

For the manufacturing:

• Tree subassembly system
• Less twisting/leaning "off-balance" positions for workers
• Elimination of hands over head
• Weight reduction of carrying stuff
• No more pop-clamps - I don't know what that is, but it got cheers from the crowd.
• Half the thermal tubing to install

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[Scott Libre]

Thanks for the summary.

 

[kltye]

Marketing departments are the worst.

 

[Sikkun]

Another $5 billion on Blue Oval City in TN.

 

[Wayne-001]

The Ford announcement just wrapped, and it turns out, when Ford says "Model T Moment" they mean "changing manufacturing processes."

Much of what we heard are things that we are hearing from other manufacturers. We heard about Zonal Architecture (Rivian), "Unicasting" (Tesla, "Gigacasting"), and structural batteries (Tesla). We heard about parts removed, wiring feet eliminated, and systems thinking. Ford, like other legacy manufacturers, is catching up.

To catch up, they're opening their pocketbook to take a risk. Ford is spending 2 billion to upgrade the Louisville plan. If you add in the recently completed battery plant in Michigan, you get to 5 billion in spending. Ford has, however, pulled back investment over the last three years, but 5 billion is still nothing to sneeze at. In Farley's words, it's a bet that Ford can execute on existing ideas better than others.

The platform is a Universal EV Platform, but the first bet is on an electric mid-sized truck in 2027. I have to trust Ford's marketing department - they had to choose something to execute on, and so it's a mid-sized pickup. Personally, I'm disappointed, but I'm not going to tell Ford to build something that they can't make money from.

We heard a lot of claims about the outcome of the new manufacturing design and platform. I wrote down as many as I could:

• The same range on a third smaller battery (cut 33% of the battery out - unclear if that is weight, volume...)
• Platform will LFP Batteries
• Manufacturing will use "Unicasting" (Tesla calls it "Megacasting")
• Two-thirds of welds
• A quarter of the parts
• Removed 4000 feet of wiring (over 3/4 of a mile)
• Ford Universal EV Platform configurations showed a three-row vehicle
• Zonal architecture

For the manufacturing:

• Tree subassembly system
• Less twisting/leaning "off-balance" positions for workers
• Elimination of hands over head
• Weight reduction of carrying stuff
• No more pop-clamps - I don't know what that is, but it got cheers from the crowd.
• Half the thermal tubing to install

Doh! I read the whole other thread, and I just could have read this nice summary.

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