Bill Ford: Mustang-inspired electric crossover 'going to go like hell'
Speaking Monday at the Crain's Detroit Business Newsmaker of the Year luncheon, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford said the Mustang-inspired vehicle "is going to go like hell."
The callback to that phrase isn't an accident. It underscores a change in strategy for how Ford views its EVs. The company's early forays into electrification included now-discontinued vehicles such as the Focus Electric and C-Max plug-in hybrid that were known more for their fuel economy than performance capabilities.
Ford has created a dedicated business unit, dubbed Team Edison, to handle production of its EVs. The team is based in Corktown, a Detroit neighborhood where the automaker is spending roughly $740 million to rehab an old train station.
Ford said Monday he'd like to fill the building with a mix of suppliers, software developers, tech startups and — potentially — other automakers.
Ford last month announced the beginning of a global alliance with Volkswagen Group that will include collaborating on pickups and commercial vans. The two sides are also discussing electric and autonomous vehicle development.
Ford said VW, in theory, could lease space in the building.
"It could be them," he said. "Anybody who wants to come down and be part of this ecosystem, we'd love it."
SOURCE: Automotive News
AUTHOR: Michael Martinez