Ford Plans $11 Billion Investment, 40 Electrified Vehicles by 2022

 Ford plans $11 billion investment, 40 electrified vehicles by 2022

•    Ford Motor Company will increase its planned investments in electric vehicles to $11 billion by 2022

•    The figure is more than double Ford's previous commitment

•    Ford wants to develop 40 different models for hybrid and fully electric vehicles
Ford Motor Company will significantly increase its planned investments in electric vehicles to $11 billion by 2022 and have 40 hybrid and fully electric vehicles in its model lineup, Chairman Bill Ford said on Sunday at the Detroit auto show.

The investment figure is sharply higher than a previously announced target of $4.5 billion by 2020, Ford executives said, and includes the costs of developing dedicated electric vehicle architectures.

Ford's engineering, research and development expenses for 2016, the last full year available, were $7.3 billion, up from $6.7 billion in 2015.

Ford Chief Executive Jim Hackett told investors in October the automaker would slash $14 billion in costs over the next five years and shift capital investment away from sedans and internal combustion engines to develop more trucks and electric and hybrid cars.

Of the 40 electrified vehicles Ford plans for its global lineup by 2022, 16 will be fully electric and the rest will be plug-in hybrids, executives said.

"We're all in on this and we're taking our mainstream vehicles, our most iconic vehicles, and we're electrifying them," Ford told reporters. "If we want to be successful with electrification, we have to do it with vehicles that are already popular."

SUVs figured in Ford's electric vehicle presentation. The automaker's president of global markets, Jim Farley, said on Sunday that Ford would bring a high-performance electric utility vehicle to market by 2020. The company will begin production of a hybrid version of its popular F-150 truck at a plant in Dearborn, Michigan, in 2020."What we learned from this first cycle of electrification is people want really nice products," Farley said.

'THINK BIG'
Ford's shift to the electric vehicle strategy has been more than six months in the making after Hackett replaced former Chief Executive Mark Fields in May.

The plan was finalized in recent months after an extensive review, a person familiar with the process said. In October, Ford disclosed it had formed a team to accelerate global development of electric vehicles, whose mission is to "think big" and "make quicker decisions."

Some of the electric vehicles will be produced with Ford's JV in China aimed at the Chinese market. One aim of Ford's "Team Edison" is to identify and develop electric-vehicle partnerships with other companies, including suppliers, in some markets, according to Sherif Marakby, vice president of autonomous vehicles and electrification.

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Article compliments of CNBC

New Ford eWheelDrive Fiesta Prototype

BRIGHTON, Mich.- It seems like every other day automakers are touting a new fuel efficient or electric car technology, but Ford Motor Company has gone above and beyond with their latest tech application. The new Ford eWheelDrive Fiesta prototype was designed in partnership with auto industry supplier Schaeffler and offers a new electric technology unheard of before! Ford Motor Company's new electric car technology propels the vehicle through electric motors located entirely within the wheels of the car. Therefore, the drive wheels don’t need to be connected to a common drivetrain, which creates endless possibilites for the vehicle.

One major advantage is all of the extra space, especially if a flat battery pack is installed along the floor of the car instead of under the hood like in the prototype. Passengers in the new eWheelDrive Fiesta will enjoy a roomier interior. In addition, the demo-vehicle is rear-wheel-drive, but the new technology makes it relatively simple to configure a front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicle. However, the most impressive feature available with the new motors is the possibility for sideways parking! With a specially designed suspension, all four wheels have the ability to rotate almost 90 degrees since the drive wheels don’t have to be connected to a common drivetrain! Urban drivers would be able to slip into a parallel parking space perpendicularly!

As you probably guessed, the new Ford eWheelDrive Fiesta prototype is in the early development stages, but Ford Motor Company expects to build two more prototypes by 2015. To cope with your current parallel parking fears, check out the new self-parking option available on many Ford vehicles. Stop by your Grand Blanc Area Ford Dealer to try it out and check out our 2013 Ford Fiesta Brochure.

Brighton Ford is located at 8240 Grand River Ave. just north of I-96 in Brighton. We are a family owned and operated business that strives for customer satisfaction. For more information on Brighton Ford visit BrightonFord.com or give us a call at (800) 836-8206.

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Ford Vehicles Make Kelley Blue Book's 10 Best Green Cars

BRIGHTON, Mich.- It's no secret that green cars have gone mainstream. In fact, you may be familiar with the recent additions of green and hybrid models to Ford Motor Company's vehicle line up. These new models offer incredible fuel economy, and two Ford vehicles made Kelley Blue Book's 10 Best Green Cars based on a few other factors as well!

Kelley Blue Book has just released their list of the 10 Best Green Cars which they have evaluated based on multiple points including environmental friendliness and how the vehicle provides commentary and mileage information. Both the Ford Focus Electric and Ford C-Max Energi made the cut as two of the best green cars on the market. Both Ford green vehicles feature SmartGauge with EcoGuide which helps the driver to optimize hybrid performance and provides a more connected and fuel efficient driving experience. A plus for both Ford vehicles was that Kelley Blue Book noted they were both fun to drive.

If you'd like to learn more about Ford's fuel efficient vehicles like the Ford Focus Electric or Ford C-Max Energi, just stop by Brighton Ford. We'd be happy to help you find a vehicle that meets your needs while also remaining fuel efficient. Plus, we can help you save a little green too with our Ford Focus Rebates and Ford C-Max Rebates. Come check out our Holly Area New Ford Cars today! Brighton Ford is located at 8240 Grand River Ave. just north of I-96 in Brighton. We are a family owned and operated business that strives for customer satisfaction. For more information on Brighton Ford visit BrightonFord.com or give us a call at (800) 836-8206.

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