The electric future will take a bit longer than originally promised at Ford.
On Thursday, Ford announced its next-gen electric truck, known as T3, will arrive a year later than planned while the unrelated three-row electric SUV will arrive two years later than planned. Subsequently, Ford said it plans to offer a hybrid powertrain in every gas-powered model it sells.
2023 Ford F-150 Lightning
T3 electric truck delayed
Ford's clean-sheet next-gen electric truck was supposed to arrive in 2025. The new electric truck, which Ford CEO Jim Farley has referred to as the "Millennium Falcon of trucks," will now arrive in 2026.
The truck is expected to be an "incredibly high volume" vehicle, Farley said in 2021. Ford also touted the truck as being "fully updatable, constantly improving, and support towing, hauling, exportable power and endless new innovations owners will want."
Set to be built at Ford's new BlueOval City in west Tennessee, the automaker committed to spend $11.4 billion on the 3,600-acre mega campus. That campus is set to include new vehicle assembly, battery production, and a supplier park.
In 2023, Ford and its battery partner, SK On, were granted a $9.2 billion government loan for the battery plant portion of the plans. Later in the year, Ford announced it was delaying its battery plant for these next-generation EVs, citing lack of demand. The first of the two plants remains on track to open in 2025, Ford spokesperson Martin Günsberg confirmed to Green Car Reports this morning.
Ford Gen 2 electric SUV after efficiency improvements
Electric three-row SUV delayed
Ford also announced on Thursday that the three-row electric SUV due in 2025 will now arrive in 2027. The three-row SUV is set to be built in the automaker's Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada, which will undergo an overhaul to begin assembly during the second quarter of 2024 as planned.
Despite the plant overhaul, production of the next-gen electric SUV has been pushed back two years to "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," Ford said in Thursday's statement.
The seven-passenger electric SUV has been described as "your own personal bullet train," by Farley. Ford targets 350 miles of range from a 100-kwh battery pack for the three-row family vehicle, but Ford says it will still have a range of 300 miles at 70 mph.
2024 Ford Maverick
Hybrids for all
With the delay of its next-gen electric vehicles, Ford noted it plans to add hybrid variants to every gas-powered model line by 2030. Based on Ford's statement, its hybrid "offerings" will leave plenty of room for non-hybrid gasoline models.
This will translate to Ford finally delivering a hybrid Mustang muscle car as it originally promised in 2017. Ford's hybrid plans suggest that its workhorse, the Super Duty heavy-duty pickup truck, and off-road icon, Bronco SUV, will receive hybrid powertrain options. The new Ranger midsize pickup truck, full-size Expedition, and everything in between could now be in line for a hybrid powertrain option.
