F-150 Lightning EV Canceled. EREV Hybrid Lightning Replacement Announced

[JohnCondren1933]

And its not just the line voltage levels, lithium-ion is extremely reactive when holding a charge, much of the cost of Western EVs is the shock dampened armor cladding to prevent explosive fires, lithium-ion burns similar to magnesium, hot enough to flash water to steam explosively and the reaction produces its own oxygen.

The newer lithium-phosphate batteries are less unstable they dont ignite from a crash but I believe contact with moisture while charged can be dangerous.

Videos linked of China's biggest luxury EV, BYD, explosions

IBEW Local 300 Master Electrician here since 1978. I have not seen it all, nobody has, but I have seen enough to know that what you are saying rings very very true. My ceiling is 480V 3 Phase. Once saw an Automatic Bus Transfer Switch (3 sources of power) in the Navy get blown off the bulkhead and person working on it blinded and flown off the carrier barely alive. Thank God we have much better safety equipment and ARC Fault training today than we had in 1969. I wore my gold wedding band for the last time the day we returned from our honeymoon. My wife said no way you are wearing jewelry and do what you do for a living. Smart woman.

These voltages and arc fault potentials are really one of the reasons I have been so apprehensive about EV's.

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[72Maverick]

I'm sad to see the Lightning discontinued. I understand why Ford was trying to get ahead of the competition for a full size EV truck for the masses. An EREV might make more sense on paper and eliminate the range anxiety issue. The problem is the price for a full size EREV truck will once again be way out of reach for most. Scale it down to a Maverick or Ranger size and maybe keep the price out of the stratosphere. A smaller, lighter, lower, more aerodynamic truck would be much more efficient. (If that's what we were going for to begin with) Kind of like the BYD Shark EREV truck before it gets to the US.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

With the date closing in on the possible DJI drone ban. I don't know if BYD will have a chance being sold here anytime soon.

While BYD is the world's largest EV maker and expanding globally, passenger cars aren't currently sold in the U.S. due to significant hurdles like high Chinese import tariffs (around 100%), geopolitical tensions, and national security concerns over vehicle tech, though BYD has a presence with electric buses and is seen as an eventual force, making its entry challenging but likely down the road.

Why BYD Isn't in the U.S. (Yet)
High Tariffs: The U.S. has imposed substantial tariffs (around 100%) on Chinese-made EVs, making them uncompetitive.
Geopolitical Tensions: Trade disputes and political friction between the U.S. and China create significant barriers.
National Security Concerns: U.S. officials are investigating if Chinese EVs' communication systems pose spying risks.
Market Strategy: BYD has focused on Europe, Asia, and Latin America first, prioritizing markets with less resistance.

 

[JohnCondren1933]

BYD doesnt come close to meeting US NTSHA crash safety testing, the BYD traction battery fires are significantly higher than US EV fleet averages from Tesla, VW, Hyundai, & Ford.

With the date closing in on the possible DJI drone ban. I don't know if BYD will have a chance being sold here anytime soon.

While BYD is the world's largest EV maker and expanding globally, passenger cars aren't currently sold in the U.S. due to significant hurdles like high Chinese import tariffs (around 100%), geopolitical tensions, and national security concerns over vehicle tech, though BYD has a presence with electric buses and is seen as an eventual force, making its entry challenging but likely down the road.

Why BYD Isn't in the U.S. (Yet)
High Tariffs: The U.S. has imposed substantial tariffs (around 100%) on Chinese-made EVs, making them uncompetitive.
Geopolitical Tensions: Trade disputes and political friction between the U.S. and China create significant barriers.
National Security Concerns: U.S. officials are investigating if Chinese EVs' communication systems pose spying risks.
Market Strategy: BYD has focused on Europe, Asia, and Latin America first, prioritizing markets with less resistance.

 

[Carlitos_92]

EREVs and diesel locomotive are SERIES hybrids.

And a “diesel locomotive” is exactly what these full-size trucks should be. Diesel is GREAT in gensets; an F-150 diesel EREV would be really cool.

 

[First Sergeant]

I think this is a much better option than the current HEV & PHEV. These are considered parallel Hybrids where the electric motors work in parallel with the ICE and can function also as generators. But they must have some form of mechanical transmission to send power to the rest of the drivetrain. You get a decent amount of loss in that configuration. EREVs and diesel locomotive are SERIES hybrids. The wheels are always driven by electric motors and the power comes from an ICE connected to a generator and/or battery pack. This has the advantage of removing the mechanical losses in the drivetrain as well as allowing the ICE and generator to be designed & tuned to each other to run in their efficiency bands and get the most from both and still get regenerative braking from the traction motors. I can see a future evolution where the ICE will be a small turbine engine that can run on multiple different fuels possibly even off CNG or compressed hydrogen that could be manufactured locally at the fueling station by cracking water, venting the O2 and storing the H2 for fuel.

Diesel locomotive is not really a series hybrid. There is no high voltage battery to recharge. None. A few small start batteries for the diesel to start, thats it. Power is from diesel engine. to very large generator, to traction motors (these motors can transform to generators for "dynamic" braking), same as regenerative braking for our Mavericks. We could get up to 1,000 amps in dynamic braking ( per locomotive). I once was pushing 1,800 amps in power. You can smell stuff burning. Only blew up one in 22 years and not for amperage, just had a rod throw out the side on a hard pull. Made a mess.

 

[TwoTone]

I remember reading about this one a long time ago and thought we should have diesel electrics.

https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/volvos-turbine-electric-hybrid-was-a-90s-wonder-box/

 

[72Maverick]

With the date closing in on the possible DJI drone ban. I don't know if BYD will have a chance being sold here anytime soon.

While BYD is the world's largest EV maker and expanding globally, passenger cars aren't currently sold in the U.S. due to significant hurdles like high Chinese import tariffs (around 100%), geopolitical tensions, and national security concerns over vehicle tech, though BYD has a presence with electric buses and is seen as an eventual force, making its entry challenging but likely down the road.

Why BYD Isn't in the U.S. (Yet)
High Tariffs: The U.S. has imposed substantial tariffs (around 100%) on Chinese-made EVs, making them uncompetitive.
Geopolitical Tensions: Trade disputes and political friction between the U.S. and China create significant barriers.
National Security Concerns: U.S. officials are investigating if Chinese EVs' communication systems pose spying risks.
Market Strategy: BYD has focused on Europe, Asia, and Latin America first, prioritizing markets with less resistance.

The thought of BYD setting up shop in the US should worry us. If they were producing low tech knock off junk vehicles there would be nothing to be concerned about. The rest of the world is a big market and Ford has a huge presence there. Every other truck in Australia and New Zealand is a diesel Ranger. Ford should build a truck to compete with BYD (which starts under $40K) and make it available in the US. I'm sure those wheels are already turning with the latest announcement.

 

[Bob The Builder]

The thought of BYD setting up shop in the US should worry us. If they were producing low tech knock off junk vehicles there would be nothing to be concerned about. The rest of the world is a big market and Ford has a huge presence there. Every other truck in Australia and New Zealand is a diesel Ranger. Ford should build a truck to compete with BYD (which starts under $40K) and make it available in the US. I'm sure those wheels are already turning with the latest announcement.

All Ford will need is its own supply of Uyghur slaves for cheap labor and no problems competing with BYD. <sarc>

 

[OleFordGuy]

I hope ford does better on the planned EREV Hybrid than they did on the current hybrid f150. i personally know 2 previous owners that had them, they had nothing but trouble. Ford pissed them off so bad throughout the processes of trying to get them reliable they both traded them in on gmc's, and these were ford guys for years.

 

[Quest]

After working at a Ford Dealer for many tears, I learned Ford is cheap!
My guess is they will use the same engine & a modified transmission/generator as the hybrid Maverick because its already there & no cost for development.
Only problem is they will suffer the same fate as the Chevy Volt
Its not 0 emission & will be shut out of the biggest market in the US...California

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

After working at a Ford Dealer for many tears, I learned Ford is cheap!
My guess is they will use the same engine & a modified transmission/generator as the hybrid Maverick because its already there & no cost for development.
Only problem is they will suffer the same fate as the Chevy Volt
Its not 0 emission & will be shut out of the biggest market in the US...California

Get this....

California is going to ban Teslas from being sold, registered, or MANUFACTURED in California.... IF.... Elon does not stop advertising his vehicle as "self-driving" "Autonomous" or "has Auto-Pilot".

They have cameras. They are not "autonomous" by any legal definition.

Tesla has 90 days from yesterday I guess to comply. Or else. The gloves come off.

 

[First Sergeant]

Get this....

California is going to ban Teslas from being sold, registered, or MANUFACTURED in California.... IF.... Elon does not stop advertising his vehicle as "self-driving" "Autonomous" or "has Auto-Pilot".

They have cameras. They are not "autonomous" by any legal definition.

Tesla has 90 days from yesterday I guess to comply. Or else. The gloves come off.

Just "Legal" blackmail from a state that is essentially, broke. Extorting money is business as usual there. Could possibly be why so many large, profitable companies have left California, including Tesla. Vengeance / retribution? Are any other states suing for the same "self driving" issue? I don't know, but don't recall seeing any.

 

[OleFordGuy]

Get this....

California is going to ban Teslas from being sold, registered, or MANUFACTURED in California.... IF.... Elon does not stop advertising his vehicle as "self-driving" "Autonomous" or "has Auto-Pilot".

They have cameras. They are not "autonomous" by any legal definition.

Tesla has 90 days from yesterday I guess to comply. Or else. The gloves come off.

If that is true, it wouldn't surprise me that Elon tells the California government what they can do to themselves. He's already moved the headquarters of Telsa, SpaceX and X out of California. Numerous other large companies have already left, like chevron, oracle, hewlett packard, charles schwab and several more.

 

[TwoTone]

Just "Legal" blackmail from a state that is essentially, broke. Extorting money is business as usual there. Could possibly be why so many large, profitable companies have left California, including Tesla. Vengeance / retribution? Are any other states suing for the same "self driving" issue? I don't know, but don't recall seeing any.

All you need to know about how nutty CA is, is basically anything you buy causes cancer.
I'm shocked they don't have a law requiring buildings to post notices at exits that going outside causes cancer.

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