Ford $30K Electric Truck. A winner?

[Surly Old Bill]

Any electric-only vehicle needs a huge battery. That battery alone is worth $30k, so it is unclear how anybody would make the rest of the vehicle for nothing. That report sounds more like bogus AI slop than actual product.

A $30k battery? Why are their batteries so much more expensive than every other car brand?

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[ychuck46]

A $30k battery? Why are their batteries so much more expensive than every other car brand?

No one, including Ford, is charging $30K for the EV battery alone. See the prior comments.

 

[Surly Old Bill]

A lot of the fear of EVs is unfounded. The vast majority of drivers don't drive more than 40 miles a day. They catch on fire at a rate of 10x LESS than gasoline engine cars. The drive batteries last decades, and are warrantied for 8 years minimum. The maintenance costs are lower than ICE.

For most people, percentage-wise, EVs are the better choice. Those of us who frequently drive more than 200 miles a day, or have no way to charge at home, would be better served with a ICE or hybrid system.

 

[Speed2000]

Hard no from me. If EVs are so great, why do they have the fastest depreciation rates?​

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When I bought my Maverick, there was Lightning on the showroom for $140,000. Now three years later, both trucks are worth about the same.​

 

[Blue_Max]

With only 3% to max 7% of US population I think this is not a good investment for any company. Especially with no government subsidy. We will see, I hope I'm wrong but today's data seems it's a pipe dream.

If it really costs around $30K, who needs a subsidy? Average new vehicle cost is $50K now.

 

[atomguy245]

If Ford can actually make a base model EV pickup with RWD and the 51kWh battery for $30k, then great. But I'd guess that that would be an XL trim, and that more consumer friendly trims would be much more. Jim Farley's odd comments about it having a pickup bed but not being a pickup shape have me worried that they've designed some odd lifestyle vehicle and not an actual work truck like the Lightning.

 

[Hunters Edge]

If it really costs around $30K, who needs a subsidy? Average new vehicle cost is $50K now.

Not the Maverick whether 2.0 or the hybrid, they are not 50,000. Also 30,000 is base other options and also destination charges along with taxes, plates and other fees including DOC

Then adding the cost of a charging station and the added risk of fire.

I think the Ford Maverick is a far better reality at present and a far better deal. Even offering AWD and other items the EV will not offer.

 

[James K]

Below url describes Ford's plans to produce a small EV truck for $30K in the near future. Idea sounds good but if you look at the article, it will be built in three pieces. Front, Middle and Rear section to be bolted together. Must admit that is a new concept. Kind of like a Lego set? Wonder how insurance companies will like it?
Can a $30,000 electric truck turn around Ford’s EV sales?

The words EV and truck in a sentence makes no sense to me at this time but that's because I do truck things with mine. EVs are not very good at truck things, short of a couple hundred pounds of cargo that will not fit in the average hatch or trunk.

 

[Suzukiridr14]

Remember every vehicle has to meet crash standards. And most insurance companies only charge slightly more for insuring an EV. I expect it to be the same situation in this case

Looking at it from the insurance companys point, if it's a module put together truck, trucks that have rear hits, won't be totaled, just replace the rear section.

 

[RR - All the way]

Remember every vehicle has to meet crash standards. And most insurance companies only charge slightly more for insuring an EV. I expect it to be the same situation in this case

I was just thinking of how many Mavericks seem to be totaled with a rear ender. I guess it would be the same deal, although if frame isn't bent, perhaps they just replace the back third of the body............ Or perhaps the frame is part of the back third also??

EDIT: Oops, my thought posted while I was typing this.

 

[TheSEARCH]

51 kw battery LOL Guess range would be rated at 150 miles . Remember rated range and real range are NOT the same. Plus who drives to empty even with a gas car even with gas stations all over.

Insurance according to My AI is 49 percent MORE on average not just a little. Remember you must compare equal valued car. I did it myself and found about the same results as my AI said.

How stripped will it be. Lower than a XL ? Plus battery is part of structure. Are they kidding. One small fender bender and battery totaled.

Oh and as far as batteries last for long time NOT quite. I watch a youtube guy who owns a used car lot. He recently bought a used Tesla and when looking He looked at ALL the history of the car's as tesla does all repairs. So it can be looked up via the VIN. MOST he said had battery replaced under warranty but still replaced none the less. So are the batteries bullet proof as some think they are . NO.

I NEW in order to meet 30 K it had to be really stripped. Battery 51 kw is a major stripping. I would say it needs at least a 80 KW to have a decent range. Would a larger battery even fit since its part of structure AND lower density type battery meaning physically bigger.

 

[Blue_Max]

If Ford can actually make a base model EV pickup with RWD and the 51kWh battery for $30k, then great. But I'd guess that that would be an XL trim, and that more consumer friendly trims would be much more. Jim Farley's odd comments about it having a pickup bed but not being a pickup shape have me worried that they've designed some odd lifestyle vehicle and not an actual work truck like the Lightning.

Again, if it's $30K, who needs an incentive? Of course it would be XL trim. If they're bragging about a low price, the quoted price will be for the cheapest version of the vehicle. That's not some sneaky Ford-only tactic. Every manufacturer has done that for every vehicle from the beginning.
The average vehicle costs $50K now, with no government subsidy. A $30K vehicle is extremely affordable in today's market with no government subsidy.

 

[Scott Asheville]

I believe it will not only be a success, but a homerun. Everything Ford has said about the vehicle so far is encouraging. As an engineer, I'm cheering them on. I'm expecting in the next 12 months we'll know a lot more. The LA auto show is next week. Then several other major shows over the winter. I'd be surprised if Ford doesn't show a prototype.

• Now, do I have any factual information on which to base my enthusiasm? Nope.
• Does anybody else have any factual information on which to base their pessimism? Nope.

 

[Propane Burning Man]

Since it has only a 51 KWH battery leads me to believe that it will be an Extended Range EV. So it will have an onboard generator to charge the battery on the go for long distances. Like the Chevy Volt had. If that is the case, I will be very interested. If not, I am only slightly more than zero interested.

 

[StephenG]

The up side of an electric truck or car is that it cost much less to charge than a gas truck costs to fill up. The down side is that there are not enough level 3 charging stations if you need to go more than a couple of hundred miles round trip.

My wife drives an electric SUV with a range of about 250 miles. I don't want her to drive 350 miles to visit relatives. There are too few charging stations on the rout and many of them are level 2 which would take several hours to charge the car. For in town driving it works perfectly for her. We charge it about once a week. The cost in electricity is about $15 vs. filling a gas tank at about $50.

My wife would not drive my pickup with a bed cap so she had no way to visit relatives. I traded the pick up for a Maverick hybrid. She is perfectly comfortable driving the Maverick so that problem is solved. On a trip to Las Vegas and back last week I got 42MPG which is much better than my old pick up. Now with one car fully electric and the Maverick hybrid I have some months where my gas credit card bill is zero. The Maverick is a win/win for us. She can go visit her family now, my cost of driving is down and I still have a pick up that does everything I need.

Getting back to the original issue of a small Ford electric truck; I don't think they can put enough battery capacity in it to make a good road truck. As an in town or short trip it might make a good option. Just depends on your needs.

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