Ford is Throwing $11 Billion at Its Electric Car Problem (theverge.com)

Ford said on Monday it will boost its investment in electric vehicles to $11 billion in the next five years, more than doubling a previous commitment. Company's chairman Bill Ford said the car maker would have 40 hybrid and fully electric vehicles in its range by the same period. It comes as countries around the world put more pressure on car makers to rein in carbon emissions. From a report: It was a dramatic escalation in Ford's crosstown rivalry with General Motors, which has seen its stock prices rise thanks to its commitments to both electrification and autonomy. GM has said it plans to roll out at least 20 new electric cars by 2023, a goal that puts it in a position to bring battery-powered driving to the mainstream. Last week, it unveiled a concept autonomous car without steering wheel or pedals. Meanwhile, the Blue Oval has had a challenging 2017. It remains strongly profitable, but its sale are stagnant, its costs have increased faster than expected, and its margins have failed to meet targets.

Comments

EV

[Anonymous Coward]

Thanks, Tesla ! Without you, those feet-dragger's would have never done this.

Re:EV

[DontBeAMoran]

GM has said it plans to roll out at least 20 new electric cars by 2023.

And then people complain when Tesla only makes hundreds of cars per month...

Re:EV

[Anonymous Coward]

I have a Chevy Bolt. For my mix of driving it's nearly perfect in every way. For someone who takes many trips over a couple hundred miles it probably isn't practical, mainly because of lack of chargers. Charging is where Tesla really shines. Tesla Supercharges are not usable to charge anything but a Tesla. Their slower changers can be used with an adaptor, but that's mostly pointless on a trip. There are multiple charging networks and each one must be joined. Imagine having to join Exxon or Shell to use their pumps. High speed chargers are somewhat common in urban areas but almost non-existent in rural areas.

As for the car, I NEVER want to go back to an ICE (internal combustion engine) car. The smoothness, quiet, ease of driving and shear convenience just can't be approached by an ICE vehicle. I live in hope that the charging networks get built out so I can use the Bolt on very few longer trips I take yearly. I really love this car.

Range is severely effected by cold temps. Cabin heat is supplied by resistance coils (the Leaf on the other hand has a heap pump) and when temps are down in the single digits(F) up to 25% of the battery is used to keep the cabin warm. Plus, there is reduced battery capacity in the cold. I've seen my full charge range (all estimated of course) go down to 150miles in sever cold. Serious greenies, or people that must have the range wear heavy cloths and turn the heat very low. I'm not in either category so I keep it between 68 and 72 most of the time.

I'm much more sensitive to the smell of car exhaust now and find it more annoying.

Finely, I'll add that I didn't get an EV to be green, although it was a consideration. I was curious and ready to replace my current car. I test drove both the Volt and the Bolt. The Volt is a fine car, but the Bolt is clearly a generation ahead. Once I test drove the Bolt I was sold.

It will be money down the drain.

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

It will be money flushed down the toilet, not because electric cars are inferior, but because the sales infrastructure of the automakers is fundamentally flawed.

Ford has very strong binding contracts with dealers. The dealer franchise agreements were set in the era before the consolidation in the auto makers. It is very heavily in favor of the dealers. The traditional car makers have much lower bargaining power against the dealers.

The dealers who sell both IC engines and Electric motor cars, have vested interest in killing the electric cars. We know theoretically electric cars have lower maintenance. But they know actual data, brandwise and model wise, which cars and features produce repair shop revenue and which dont.

Unless Ford forms a distinct subsidiary, unencumbered by the dealership agreements, a separate division like Saturn or something and embrace the direct sales model like Tesla they are doomed.

It is high time all the car makers form distinct divisions without any agreements with NADA. As long as they sell cars through NADA members, the short term short sighted actions by the dealers will doom the car makers.

Re:Can the power grid support it?

[Oceanplexian]

Transmission isn't the largest expense that utilities have to pay for. Saying the infrastructure won't support it is just FUD from someone who doesn't work in the industry.

EV's stabilize the grid, because utilities don't need to scale up and down micro generation as demand changes. This saves a significant amount of money in administration and maintenance on the generation side, which comprises the majority of utility spending. Also EVs provide a massive, new source of revenue to utilities without capital investment, because they're now selling resources that were previously underutilized.

EVs won't sell in the inner city

[swell]

My city has an urban population of about 3 million. The vast majority of us live in apartments and condominiums. The remaining single family homes are converted to higher density housing when the owners die off. These condos and apts are traditionally required to provide one or 1.5 parking spaces per unit; in most cases that's almost entirely outdoor offstreet uncovered parking. Residents with more than one car must park in the street (if they can find a space).

Urban planners say that density must increase to preserve open space elsewhere. Bicycle paths are taking the place of parking spaces and mass transit is encouraged. Fewer parking spaces are required for new buildings under construction.

So the question is: where will these 3 million people charge their EVs?

In fact an electric car is not an option in urban areas. Even if your property manager could provide a charging unit, how would it be metered and billed to you? Who would maintain it in a mostly public space where vandals and theft could be a problem?

Many urbanites will choose Uber or Lyft, but Ford's electric auto sales will not reach the inner city. Privately owned EVs are only practical in suburban & rural single-family home areas.