…invests $4.5 billion
would be investing an additional $4.5 billion in electrified vehicle solutions by 2020 as well as changing how the company develops vehicle experiences for customers.
Ford’s shift to add electrified vehicle solutions answers increasing global trends calling for cleaner, more efficient vehicles. Ford also is expanding its electrified vehicle research and development programme in Europe and Asia this year, creating a “hub and spoke” system that allows the global team to further accelerate battery technology and take advantage of market specific opportunities.
According to a recent release, the company is adding 13 new electrified vehicles to its portfolio by 2020, when more than 40 per cent of the company’s global nameplates will come in electrified versions. This represents Ford’s largest-ever electrified vehicle investment in a five-year period.
In 2016, Ford is bringing in a new Focus Electric, which features all-new DC fast-charge capability delivering an 80 per cent charge in an estimated 30 minutes and a projected 160-kilometre range – an estimated two hours faster than today’s Focus Electric.
The new Focus Electric, which starts production this year, also will provide European and North American customers: Smart Gauge with EcoGuide LCD Instrument Cluster, which offers a multitude of customisable displays that can help the driver see real-time electric vehicle power usage to help maximise vehicle efficiency.
Brake Coach, another smart feature that coaches the driver on how to use smooth braking to maximise the energy captured through the regenerative braking system. The more energy a driver captures through braking, the more energy is returned to the vehicle’s battery.