Ford Is Gearing up to Take on Tesla

BOLD RIDE

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Posted by George Kennedy 

 

                               

 

One of the largest most well-known automakers in the world is making moves to take on a low-volume upstart. Seems like a real lopsided battle, but Ford Motor Co has been wise enough to read the tealeaves, and knows where the market is going. That is why it has announced plans that it will invest $4.5 billion in electric cars between now and 2020.

 

The move is clearly to ready itself for the continued, sustained growth of electric automaker Tesla. According the Wall Street Journal, the American automaker says the eventual plan is to have at least 13 electrified vehicles in its product portfolio. It should be noted that estimate includes hybrids.

Ford has also announced that it will be unveiling an electric version of the Focus next year, with an estimated 100-mile range. That is nowhere near the range of the Tesla Model S, but while Ford is venturing further into EVs (it currently sells the lackluster C-MAX Energi), Tesla is looking to boost its volume by moving downmarket.

 

The automotive world has been awaiting the Tesla Model 3 which could becoming anywhere between early next year and 2017, depending on who you ask. The Model 3 is expected to be smaller and more affordable than the Model S, with a smaller range, and thus it could be competing with vehicles like Ford’s forthcoming Focus EV.

 

Now that Ford has announced it is stepping up its electric vehicle game, Tesla needs the Model 3 to be a winner. The CA-based company has been wowing journalists and consumers with the Model S, but the sales volume are nothing close to that of the big players in the automotive world.

 A mass market EV needs to happen for Tesla soon, before the rest of the industry figures out how to make an EV as good as they do.