DETROIT — The products Ford Motor Co. is rolling out over the next year could make or break the automaker's chances of becoming an electric vehicle leader long term.
After years of buildup — and with the Mustang Mach-E already stealing share from Tesla Inc. — attention now turns to the launch of the E-Transit van, due by year end, and the F-150 Lightning, slated for mid-2022. CEO Jim Farley has called the Lightning a measuring stick that will "show where EV adoption really is."
Ford hopes to persuade customers as well as dealers to buy into EVs by focusing on well-known nameplates in popular segments and stuffing them with compelling features, software capabilities and connected services today's models lack. That targeted strategy begins with the trio of products Ford already has revealed and will continue with an electric version of the Explorer large crossover in 2023, an expansion of the FordPass app and over-the-air updates to improve vehicles after purchase.