Thursday 5 January 2017

Ford to step up EV production

Ford has announced it is stepping up its electric vehicle (EV) production.

The automotive manufacturer is to release 13 new EV models, including hybrid versions of the Mustang sports car, F-150 pickup truck and Transit van.

It says electric power will make its trucks more capable, give its sports cars better performance and allow its commercial vehicles to be more productive - all while becoming more economical.

The company also plans to release a fully electric SUV with a range of 300 miles and an autonomous car designed for taxi and ride sharing services.

The cancellation of a $1.6 billion (£1.30bn) factory in Mexico means $700 million (£569m) will instead be invested in Ford's assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, which will boost production and create around 700 new jobs.

The move forms part of a planned $4.5 billion (£3.7bn) investment in EVs by 2020, as Ford aims to become a leader in the evolving industry whilst also expanding into new niches as they appear, for example EV fleet management and data tracking.

Ford is also piloting wireless charging, a new technology that makes refilling an EV battery as easy as pulling into a special parking space and waiting for it to power up.