Ford cancels 3-row electric SUV and delays next-gen pickup in $1.5 billion shakeup

FORD has reshuffled its EV plans, killing projects to electrify one of its most popular SUVs.

The American vehicle manufacturing giant had plans to build a new battery-operated SUV offering, but it will add a new pickup and van instead.

Getty

Getty

Ford

Ford

Ford plans to abandon the electrified three-row Explorer-like SUV.

In a statement to The U.S. Sun, the company said it was “broadening our strategy” to include hybrid SUV models.

The company had touted the upcoming 350-mile-range family-oriented vehicle for years.

However, it said that sourcing costs for battery materials rose too high, and consumers began to shift their interest away from electrified large SUVs.

Ford expected to build the SUV at its Ontario, Canada , plant and release the large SUV by 2025.

A smaller Explorer EV crossover will hit parts of the European market in 2024.

The company also announced plans to build an all-new commercial van and predicts it will be on the market in 2026.

Ford’s commercial fleet sales have been a bright spot for the brand, bringing in millions in profits.

In 2027, the company will release two new pickup trucks.

Ford said the new products would be a medium-sized pickup and a “next-generation truck.”

Assembly plants in the US will build both new products.

The company recently said during its quarterly earnings call that it would continue to build a more profitable pickup truck at the plant.

Ford said on August 21 that the product switch would result in an additional expense and a cash expenditure line of $1.5 billion. The company will add the charge to its balance sheet in a future quarter.

ELECTRIC SHOCK

The nixing of the EV Explorer doesn’t spell the end of Ford’s electrification plans.

However, it does indicate the brand’s shifting ideology with its EV strategy.

“We are committed to innovating in America, creating jobs, and delivering incredible new electric and hybrid vehicles that make a real difference in CO2 reduction,” the company’s CEO, Jim Farley, said in a statement.

Finding an EV charger

Finding a public charger for your electric vehicle doesn't have to be difficult.

Many modern EVs have their own manufacturer-specific connected services technology that can locate compatible chargers.

With more automakers gaining access to Tesla’s Supercharging network with an NACS charging port, it can be even easier due to the vastness of the network.

According to an article from J.D. Power , additional ways to locate functioning and available chargers can be achieved with Plug In America , the PlugShare app for iOS and Android, or the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center .

Electrify America and EVgo provide the most accurate charging data, the site said, as they frequently update data over the air.

During the earnings call, Farley said the company would refocus on smaller, more cost-friendly electric vehicles.

The CEO called the refocused efforts on smaller cars “more realistic and sharpened.”

The three-row electric vehicle segment is well-stocked with an array of well-done competitors.

Several car manufacturers have already produced big SUVs, such as the Rivian R1S , Kia EV9 , and Tesla Model Y.

Lucid is also about to jump into the big EV fray with its upcoming Gravity SUV .

Very few companies have launched small electrified cars with cheaper components.

The Fiat 500e is one of the few small electric cars on the US market.

Previously, Ford relied heavily on its iconic car brands while shifting to battery-powered vehicles.

The company’s first two all-electric consumer vehicles – the F-150 Lightning and the Mustang Mach-E – capitalized on the brand’s well-established names.

However, the company doesn’t currently have any small vehicles in its lineup. Any new small cars will likely have an electric-specific nameplate.