Photo by Jessy Smith on Unsplash
Ford Shifts Focus to Developing Hybrid Vehicles by 2030, Delaying All-Electric Production
April 5, 2024
Ford has pressed pause on the production of its all-electric large SUV and pickup truck, redirecting its efforts toward introducing hybrid options across its whole North American lineup by 2030.
On Thursday, Ford said investment in its EVs will continue, however, it is pushing back production of the three-row SUV at a plant in Canada to 2027 instead of 2025, which is what it initially set out to accomplish.
This strategic shift from the company’s EV plans comes after the EV industry at large has faced challenges due to high production costs and shrinking demand.
Last year, Ford said it would push back or cancel $12 billion, which it had aimed to spend on new EVs, due to the unsettling shift in the EV landscape.
In the first quarter of this year, Ford came in second in EV sales, following Tesla, which took the top spot. However, in overall sales, Ford held the third position, with Tesla and Hyundai outselling Ford in EVs.
In a statement on Thursday, Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, said, “As the No. 2 EV brand in the U.S. for the past two years, we are committed to scaling a profitable EV business, using capital wisely and bringing to market the right gas, hybrid and fully electric vehicles at the right time.”
The three-row SUV was a part of an investment of approximately $1.3 billion aimed at transforming Ford’s Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada, into an electric vehicle hub. This initiative was Ford’s first time completely reconfiguring a North American facility from producing gas-powered vehicles to manufacturing EVs.
In a press release, Ford said, “The additional time will allow for the consumer market for three-row EVs to further develop and enable Ford to take advantage of emerging battery technology, with the goal to provide customers increased durability and better value.”
The company announced its intention to continue pursuing its EV mission through new facilities, such as its “BlueOval City” campus in Tennessee, instead of converting existing facilities that produce engine-powered vehicles into all-electric models at the moment.
Farley said, “Our breakthrough, next-generation EVs will be new from the ground up and fully software enabled, with ever-improving digital experiences and a multitude of potential services.”
Recent News
Massive Data Breach Hits Ticketmaster, Affecting 560 Million Customers
Ticketmaster has fallen victim to a significant cyber-attack, potentially compromising the data of up to 560 million customers. The breach was confirmed by Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation, which revealed that a notorious hacking group, ShinyHunters, is behind the attack. The hackers are demanding a ransom of approximately £400,000 to prevent the data from being sold on the dark web.
Toyota Recalls 100,000+ Tundra and Lexus LX SUVs Over Engine Debris Issue
Toyota has announced a recall for over 100,000 Tundra pickups and Lexus LX SUVs in North America due to potential engine issues caused by machining debris. This recall affects certain 2022-2023 models of the Tundra and LX, which are equipped with the new V6 twin-turbo engine. The V6 twin-turbo engine has faced considerable scrutiny regarding its reliability, especially when compared to the previous naturally aspirated V8 engines.
Wordle and Worldle Battle Over Names
A legal dispute has erupted between the wildly popular word game Wordle and the lesser-known geography game Worldle, centering on the similarity of their names. Wordle, which was developed by Josh Wardle in 2021 and later acquired by the New York Times in 2022 for a substantial sum, has gained immense popularity. In this game, players have six attempts to guess a five-letter word.
FDA Issues Recall for Crecelac Goat Milk Infant Formula
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a safety alert regarding Crecelac Goat Milk Infant Formula and other infant formula products imported and distributed by Dairy Manufacturers Inc. The alert highlights Cronobacter contamination concerns with Crecelac Infant Powdered Goat Milk Infant Formula. Although Dairy Manufacturers Inc. initiated a recall on May 24, 2024, due to non-compliance with FDA regulations, new findings of Cronobacter contamination have prompted further action.