For all of the advancements that automakers have made in the field of electric vehicles, one company has, somewhat surprisingly, remained in the sidelines. When it comes to electric vehicles, Ford doesn’t exactly call itself a pioneer and no more is that evident than its lineup of all-electric models, which includes plug-in versions of the Fusion and the C-Max and an all-electric version of the Focus. Solid options, sure, but none of them have really set the electric car market on fire.
All that though could change now that Ford appears to be ready to dive into the long-range EV pool. The report comes by way of Automotive News, which quoted Ford CEO Mark Fields saying that a long-range, battery-powered car is something that’s high on the list of priorities for the Blue Oval. Fields didn’t go into the specifics of the automaker’s plans, only adding that the company’s goal is to be “among the leaders or in a leadership position” in the long-range EV market.
Vague as that disclaimer is, there is some evidence that Ford has made preparations for this ideological shift, none more important than its recent announcement that it would be investing $4.5 billion into electrification. That’s a significant amount of money that could be put to good use if Ford decides to develop the technologies required to be in that sought-after “leadership position” on its own and not rely on third-party vendors as it has done in the past.
Clearly, the decision-makers in Dearborn have come around on the potential of long-range electric vehicles. It’s still got a lot of work to do to get to where it needs to be, but if the automaker is as committed as Fields says it is, it should only be a matter of time before the company’s lineup of hybrid, plug-in, and EV models get the jolt it needs to become a major player in the segment.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
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