All articles tagged with #ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned that U.S. tariffs are inflating costs and threatening Canada’s economy, saying 'no deal is better than a bad deal' with Trump as the Supreme Court curbs the tariffs and the 2026 U.S. midterms loom, urging caution in any future trade talks.
Ford is pursuing a $30K mid-size electric pickup using a Tesla-inspired Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform with a 48V architecture, a zonal CPU-based design called Unicasting, three subassemblies (front casting, rear casting, structural battery core), and a structural battery concept. Coupled with LFP cells to cut costs, this approach aims to shorten the wiring, reduce weight, and speed up production while delivering over 300 miles of range, signaling a push to democratize EVs. The piece also notes Tesla’s temporary $59,990 Cybertruck pricing and a JD Power EV experience study that shows high owner satisfaction, underscoring broader shifts in the EV market.
Ford unveils its Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, aiming to dramatically cut EV complexity by trimming to five master control modules for its upcoming pickup—far fewer than the F-150 Lightning’s 70 and Rivian’s seven—while embracing multipurpose components and in-house integration to reduce cost and weight, signaling a strategic push to compete with Rivian and contend with subsidized Chinese EVs.
Ford is pursuing a $30,000 electric pickup built on a Universal Electric Vehicle platform, using a 'bounty' system to align engineering toward higher range and lower battery costs, aided by unicast/gigacasting and an inexpensive LFP battery. The truck is expected to diverge from traditional styling, with a smaller bed and edgy aerodynamics, and the article questions how this strategy will look in practice and whether it can pay off.
Ford is pursuing a low-cost, high-efficiency electric-vehicle strategy by building a universal platform, retrimming parts, and adopting Formula 1–style aerodynamics. A California skunkworks team led by ex-Tesla engineer Alan Clarke is simplifying the vehicle, using two aluminum castings for the body, a compact in-house electrical architecture, and a Michigan-made LFP battery from CATL to cut cost and weight. Aerodynamic tweaks—such as teardrop rooflines and smoother underbody—are expected to add range and efficiency, with a $30,000 mid-size pickup due in 2027 as the first test of the approach to outcompete cheaper Chinese EVs. The project marks a major shift after Ford’s prior EV setbacks.
Ford is pivoting from costly, oversized EVs like the F-150 Lightning to a family of affordable electric vehicles built on a Universal EV Platform (UEV), led by a Silicon Valley skunkworks team. The plan focuses on efficiency and cost, using a bounty system to quantify micro-optimizations (weight, drag, etc.), adopting lighter aluminum components, cheaper lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) batteries, and a zonal architecture with an integrated E‑Box to cut wiring and parts. Ford aims for a $30,000 midsize EV in 2027 and is moving toward mass production with tighter supply‑chain control, even if it means 400‑volt systems over the faster 800‑volt setups to maintain flexibility and battery compatibility.
Ford outlines a plan to base its next-generation EVs on a universal platform powered by a 48-volt electrical architecture, aiming to boost efficiency and cut costs with lighter wiring and advanced ECUs, while using gigacasting and lighter aluminum castings to speed production; the company targets a $30,000 midsize EV pickup in 2027 and sees this approach helping it compete with Tesla and Chinese brands by reducing parts and assembly time and bringing prices closer to gas vehicles.
Ford upgraded the 428 to the Cobra Jet in 1968, using a Police Interceptor block, 427 heads, a performance cam, and a Holley 735 CFM carb to produce about 335 hp and 440 lb-ft (with many experts arguing closer to 400 hp). Ford then injected the CJ into a broad lineup—Mustang GT/135, Mach 1, Fairlane, Torino GT, Cobra, Shelby GT500, Mercury Cougar variants, Comet, and Cyclone CJ—often with performance options like Drag Pack and Ram Air, creating a legendarily versatile big-block era aimed at beating rivals on the street and strip.
Ryan Preece led the final Cup Series Daytona 500 practice at 192.819 mph in RFK Racing's No. 60 Ford, with teammates Buescher and Keselowski close behind; Ford drivers occupied the top five, 18 drivers posted times, and Jimmie Johnson was the only Toyota to run in Saturday's session.
Ford plans a 2026 push to retain Edge and Escape lessees via a strong lineup and aggressive dealer network, with some dealers able to move lessees to the Explorer; Ford also patents an adaptive car door brake to reduce door dings; analysts show a Hold rating with a modest upside, and the stock slipped modestly as the plan surfaced.
A Ford line worker who heckled President Trump at the Dearborn Truck Plant remains employed with no discipline on record, after an initial suspension; the UAW uses the incident to frame Trump’s view of workers and has publicly backed the employee, including fundraising support.
The 1988 Ford Probe GT grew from Ford’s Mazda collaboration amid backlash over replacing the Mustang, but its turbocharged 2.2L four, Mazda-developed suspension, four-wheel discs, and reasonable price proved a strong performance package, earning praise in contemporary tests and helping Ford end up with two compelling sporty coupes instead of a single Mustang revival, with a facelifted 1992 Probe and V6 variant extending its appeal.
Ford announced it will launch five U.S. models priced under $40,000 this decade, including a new car alongside trucks, SUVs, and a van, all with multi-energy powertrains. A midsize electric pickup is planned for 2027, as Ford aims to expand affordable options amid high current new-car prices and the retreat of sedans from its lineup.
Ford stock slipped after Novelis, a key aluminum supplier, remained off full production due to fires, prompting Ford to seek alternative sources and caution that 2025 profits could be hit by reduced aluminum output (including a potential loss of about 100,000 F-Series pickups). A related F-150 class-action proceeds, while analysts keep a Hold view with modest upside. Ford plans to update investors with its Feb. 10 earnings report.
Ford reportedly explored a US-based joint venture with Xiaomi to produce EVs in the United States, with talks also touching BYD; Ford denied the report, Xiaomi did not comment, and any potential deal would face tariff hurdles and political scrutiny in Washington.