In an unexpected announcement today, Ford revealed that it will add an all-electric SUV to its current lineup. The SUV will have a 300-mile range and will hit the markets in the US, Europe and Asia by 2020. The company also announced that it will introduce a hybrid version of its iconic Mustang and F-150 pickup truck.
A 300-mile range would put Fords as-yet-unnamed SUV well ahead of the competition (Tesla’s Model X has a 289-mile range. The company says that it reached that figure after examining current driving habits, which show that most consumers drive 60 miles a day or less, and that most people charge their vehicles once a day. With 300-mile range, consumers wouldn’t have to worry much about the electric vehicle’s nemesis: range anxiety.
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The new vehicles will be built at Ford’s Flat Rock, Michigan plant, while other newly-announced electric transit vehicles, designed for police use, will be built in Chicago. Ford is also working on a new wireless charging technology, which would allow drivers to park in designed spots and charge their vehicle without plugging in.
Via Tech Crunch and The Verge
Images via Mike Mozart and Wikimedia (2)