Ford has formally chosen Lengthy Seashore as its new house to develop its next-generation EV platform. The brand new headquarters can be the place Ford’s “Skunkworks” staff will construct its inexpensive next-gen electrical autos.
CEO Jim Farley revealed Ford had been “secretly” engaged on a low-cost EV platform on a media name with buyers in February.
Based on Farley, Ford had a small “skunkworks” staff engaged on the mission. The staff consists of “a number of the finest EV engineers on the earth.”
Alan Clarke, who beforehand labored at Tesla for 12 years, leads the mission. Nevertheless, it’s not simply Tesla that Ford has taken expertise from. The staff contains former Rivian, Lucid, and Apple staff.
Ford has additionally introduced on eVTOL trade expertise from leaders like Archer Aviation, Joby, and Hyundai’s Supernal.
“They’re engineering a totally completely different strategy, a special product at a special value with a a lot smaller battery and completely different chemistry,” Farley defined.
The staff is advancing Ford’s next-gen inexpensive electrical autos. Ford has mentioned the brand new platform can be versatile and can help a number of various kinds of autos.
Ford picks new house for its inexpensive electrical autos
Rex Richardson, Mayor of Lengthy Seashore, and Ford introduced the brand new house for the automaker’s new Superior Electrical Car Improvement Heart Wednesday.
Ford’s chief EV officer, Doug Area, mentioned the brand new facility is “a key a part of our broader technique to construct the most effective electrical car and expertise improvement groups on the earth.”
Area added that the Lengthy Seashore headquarters will “create a hub for the event of superior electrical car applied sciences and merchandise” alongside its Product Improvement Heart in Dearborn and Greenfield labs location in Palo Alto.
Based on Ford’s EV chief, the staff is “creating autos which might be as inexpensive as they’re fascinating.”
Ford was the second best-selling EV model within the US via Might. The Mustang Mach-E was the third best-selling EV, behind solely Tesla’s Mannequin Y and Mannequin 3, whereas the F-150 Lightning pickup remained America’s top-selling pickup.
