Ford Midsize EV Truck News: Ford Skunkworks (EVDC) - first ever behind the scenes tour; sneak peek at EV pickup [WARNING: NO POLITICS]

[BradH]

Motor Trend published an article a few days ago about touring the Ford EV center where the "Ranchero" is being built, and talking with the designers, etc. As part of the tour Ford gave them a 3D printed model of some of the truck components, that was not to scale but "directional only" (their words). The MT article shows the model after they assembled it, and some possible takeaways they had from what's visible. What struck me is how similar (to me at least) the model seemed to pictures of a truck featured in a recent Ford patent filing, where they were talking about a method for having a cargo pass-through into the passenger compartment. Here are the two pics compared:

Links to these articles:

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2028-ford-ranchero-ev-truck-everything-we-know

https://ppubs.uspto.gov/api/pdf/dow...1LTQ1OTYtOTUxOS1mMmM4Y2YwZTFmMTUiLCJleHAiOjB9

Draw your own conclusions on this.

Another thing: Several posts back, folks got into discussing how cheap the televisions, even big screens, are these days. Yes, they're cheap, because companies like Walmart/Vizio and others make their money now not on selling the TV (like the "old days"), rather it's made on selling and/or understanding the consumer's viewing habits and then targeting ads to them. The TV is just a delivery method to get personalized ads to a consumer. If Ford can make the assembly process for these trucks and other vehicles cheap enough, they could be automotive equivalents to televisions, basically being delivery mechanisms to sell subscription services like Blue Cruise, etc. to drivers at a greater profit to Ford since the vehicles would be cheaper to assemble (note, not necessarily cheaper for us to buy! LOL)

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[Mavster Mechanic]

All the leaking / teasing is just Ford doing a stealth low cost market study.

They want to see what people here and all over are talking about.

 

[tiktokbrainrot]

And you, me, and many others do not own EVs. Rapid charging (as noted in some Tesla owners manuals) is not a good thing if used too much. Garages are not a prerequisite for chargers, but people that move often would probably learn that they chose the wrong vehicle.

Rapid charging's dangers are way overblown. We've had enough Teslas reach 200k+ miles on regular supercharger use to know that the difference works out to maybe 1-2% battery degradation over 250k miles. IF that. There's several over 300k miles in Nevada on their original batteries that still work just fine and do nothing but supercharge.

The most important thing to control when charging is heat. Heat causes lithium to degrade at far faster rates. The higher voltages used in rapid charging allow you to use lower amperages, which results in LESS heat. The relationship between amperage and heat is logarithmic, to double the amperage requires you to quadruple the waste heat created.

The same charging rate at 800v will use half the amperage and create a quarter as much waste heat. That's why the EV6, at 230kW, charges from 10-80 in just 18 minutes, whereas the model 3 with a 250kW charge rate takes 43 minutes to do the same. The EV6 never has to throttle the charger because the 800v battery runs much cooler. Same with the Silverado EV, which switches to a 800v architecture for charging, and not only charges faster then the Ford Lightning, but also does so while charging a battery nearly twice the capacity.

The same alarm bells were rang years ago int he phone market, with claims that the 40, 65, 100w ece charging speeds would destroy the batteries in short order. What ACTUALLY happened was that Apple, whom stuck with 5v 4a charging, was seeing worse degradation long term then their Android counterpart's that were using 20v3a charging. With the latest generation they have finally joined the rest of the world in using higher voltages.

That's why 800v batteries are a huge step up for EVs, making 400v batteries look obsolete by comparison, and why the 1000v+ space is so exciting. Sub 10 minute charging with 500kW rates are feasible at such voltages.

 

[huunvubu]

Some more tibids. Overall, this truck sounds kinda like if Tesla had decided to make a super innovative truck, but instead of making it look like a dumpster, made it look more conventional, and a lot more affordable. In other words, this Ford EV truck sounds like the type of truck Tesla should have made.

I know a lot of this is gonna be too radical for traditionalists, but I believe this is gonna be a huge hit for the affordable EV crowd who really appreciates this sort of tech.

Is there a link to the highlighted post from 61BelAir and Perian.

Those details are the first I have seen mentioning those details so I would like to know if they are Facts or just Speculation?

 

[BlueSpec1]

BORG's comment on gm inside news forum.
https://www.gminsidenews.com/thread...1/?post_id=7446493&nested_view=1#post-7446493

 

[huunvubu]

We had a VCR in 1978.
Cost $1500

EV's will come down.

When Sears offered a $800 Sony Beta I jumped on it instantly.

At that time a 2hr Beta Tape cost $20.

 

[huunvubu]

My dad had a 35” TUBE Zenith… yikes!

We also had a 36” TUBE TV that weighed over 200 lbs.

A 35-inch CRT (tube) television typically weighs between 150 and 200+ pounds requiring at least two people and often a dolly to move. Models from the late 1990s or 2000s, especially high-end flat-screen Sony Trinitron units, are on the heavier end of this range, frequently exceeding 200 lbs.

Average 35" CRT: Approximately 150-200 lbs.

36" Sony KV-36FV300/HS510 225-230 lbs.

 

[Wahjahbvious]

For a certain type of person, new words are things to be mocked, not things to be learned.

It's best to avoid that type of person, here and everywhere.

That is what it is called.

 

[Cherokee]

When Ford comes out with a PHEV Maverick, I will immediately put in my order.
I love EV, but don’t love the fact that I need to be on a virtual tether to the charging stations and long charge cycles. Even if a full charge only takes 20mins, I’m not a player…. Bring on the Super Capacitor / solid state batteries that charge in moments vs minutes…

Charge in moments vs minutes……
BuuwahaHAHAHa

Dam near spilt my drink over that.
Dam fine comedy !
:’P

 

[Big-Foot]

Charge in moments vs minutes……
BuuwahaHAHAHa

Dam near spilt my drink over that.
Dam fine comedy !
:’P

Do a search - they both exist. Just not mainstream at this point..
just one example….
https://insideevs.com/news/771402/every-solid-state-battery-ev/
……
Developed with battery maker ProLogium and Mitsubishi Chemical Group, the 100-kilowatt-hour pack can charge from 10% to 80% in just six and a half minutes, provided it’s plugged into a fast enough charger. The cells deliver an energy density of 260 watt-hours per kilogram (350 watt-hours per liter) and are slated to power performance-oriented hybrids.
……

 

[kevinmccune]

Motor Trend published an article a few days ago about touring the Ford EV center where the "Ranchero" is being built, and talking with the designers, etc. As part of the tour Ford gave them a 3D printed model of some of the truck components, that was not to scale but "directional only" (their words). The MT article shows the model after they assembled it, and some possible takeaways they had from what's visible. What struck me is how similar (to me at least) the model seemed to pictures of a truck featured in a recent Ford patent filing, where they were talking about a method for having a cargo pass-through into the passenger compartment. Here are the two pics compared:

Links to these articles:

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2028-ford-ranchero-ev-truck-everything-we-know

https://ppubs.uspto.gov/api/pdf/dow...1LTQ1OTYtOTUxOS1mMmM4Y2YwZTFmMTUiLCJleHAiOjB9

Draw your own conclusions on this.

Another thing: Several posts back, folks got into discussing how cheap the televisions, even big screens, are these days. Yes, they're cheap, because companies like Walmart/Vizio and others make their money now not on selling the TV (like the "old days"), rather it's made on selling and/or understanding the consumer's viewing habits and then targeting ads to them. The TV is just a delivery method to get personalized ads to a consumer. If Ford can make the assembly process for these trucks and other vehicles cheap enough, they could be automotive equivalents to televisions, basically being delivery mechanisms to sell subscription services like Blue Cruise, etc. to drivers at a greater profit to Ford since the vehicles would be cheaper to assemble (note, not necessarily cheaper for us to buy! LOL)

I want one!

 

[kevinmccune]

Charge in moments vs minutes……
BuuwahaHAHAHa

Dam near spilt my drink over that.
Dam fine comedy !
:’P

I like comedy too,I have to stifle a chuckle when my wife asks for a sharp knife,so what if it takes a bit to charge.

 

[Grifster_1469]

I heard rumors they were working on a Lightning version of the Maverick, similar to the F-150 Lightning

 

[Cherokee]

Chinese cars are cheap because their government subsidized the cost. For that reason, how can American companies (and other foreign companies) compete against that.

Subsidies.
Easy peasy :’p

 

[Administrator]

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