Lincoln Developing All-Electric SUV With Rivian
Now we know how the Rivian technology will tie into Ford Motor Company trucks. The skateboard that underpins the Rivian pickup will become the base for the next all-electric Lincoln SUV. This will be the first Ford product utilizing the electric skateboard chassis from startup Rivian. Earlier this year Ford invested $500,000 into the company to kickstart development for all-electric pickups and SUVs.
This will be an all-wheel-drive Lincoln SUV as the skateboard utilizes an electric motor at each wheel. As the price of the Rivian SUV is expected to be $72,500, it will be competing directly with the Lincoln SUV employing the same motors, batteries, controls, and suspension.
When asked by Automotive News about it both Ford and Rivian declined to comment. Besides the investment, Ford will also help Rivian with production startup for its assembly plant in Normal, Illinois.
New Lincoln SUVs will compete in an ever-crowded electrified field
The new Lincoln SUV would also compete with two all-electric SUVs GM plans on launching by 2023. A Cadillac, which would be in the exact same segment as the Lincoln SUV, and also one for the presumed return of the Hummer brand. GM has not confirmed the return of Hummer. The last Hummers came off of the assembly line in 2010.
The all-electric SUV will not only be for the US market but will also be sold in China. As with most manufacturers, Ford is planning on launching several all-electric vehicles between now and 2025. Besides this Rivian-based Lincoln, Ford intends to produce a compact Lincoln EV crossover for 2022 and a midsize EV for 2023. By then it will have a full range of all-electric SUVs.
Ford just introduced its first all-electric SUV the Mach E
Currently, both Ford and Lincoln do not produce any all-electric vehicles. Ford just introduced its first this past week at the LA Auto Show with the Mustang Mach E SUV. It is not expected to begin production until later in 2020. Its first electric F-series truck won’t begin production until later in 2021. Ford plans on investing $11.5 billion for electric vehicle development by 2022.
There is some concern that electric vehicle production will be more than actual demand as companies rush to get into the new segment. Forecasters predict that demand will only be 20% of total vehicles produced by 2026, or about 75,000 vehicles. With at least nine companies looking to produce EV pickups and SUVs by 2021, there is the potential for many more units to be built than 75,000.
Tesla Cybertruck deposits exceed 200,000 pickups says Elon Musk
However, the forecasters might be wrong if Tesla is any indication of the interest in EV trucks. In only a little over 72 hours from its wild Cybertruck debut, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted orders had exceeded 200,000. Tesla has the capacity to produce 50,000 a year based on its current plans. That may have to change with the reception its pickup truck has received.
Rivian’s initial plans call for 20,000 units to be built in 2021 after the initial 10,000 it intends to produce in 2020.
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