nappy
Well-Known Member
Were they really betting that gas prices wouldn't fluctuate (it always has fluctuated as markets are dynamic)? Or, were they betting on the Telsa effect for Trucks and they were seeking an early mover advantage?This.
For the last 20 years, Ford has tried to predict future market trends while at the same time trying to set them. When they announced they were moving exclusively to trucks and SUVs (except Mustang) in the American market, they were depending on gas prices staying low. Since that didn't work, they are going "mostly" all-in on EVs, just as the market is starting to realize EVs aren't the answer to next-gen automotive energy.
In the meantime, they still want to dabble in the performance/niche market, but their main focus of resources is elsewhere, thus we wait.
This wasn't the case in 2016 when the GT350 became mainstream. I was one of the first to place an order in September of 2016, and the car arrived in February 2016, a reasonable five-month wait that encompassed two major holiday seasons. While Ford certainly had issues with the GT350 rollout (ADMs, inconsistent communication, etc.), scheduling and production wasn't among them.
EV to date haven't offered enough value compared to ICE vehicles and have more perceived risk - range anxiety, cost to fix, catching on fire, etc. Now if they offered EV with 2x the range, made them more affordable, and there were more charging stations in the US, then the play becomes more compelling. The current state of EV's isn't close to offering enough perceived value compared to an ICE equivalent, other than for early adopters, which represent the 1% club. We aren't there yet to see any real critical mass uptake.
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