Ford to stop selling cars in North America

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

I wonder how steel and aluminum tariffs and the threat of them may have changed the long range calculus.

This seems very likely to be another motivation.

[acparker]

If Mazda and Volvo continue to sell cars in the US market then Ford is still selling cars in the US market.

If the US market shifts due to regulatory changes, fuel price changes, or whatever, Ford can fairly quickly make adjustments in manufacturing, as long as they are still designing and manufacturing cars for the global market.

US safety laws (which I have little argument with) turned the Fiesta into a relative gas hog. As far as fuel efficiency, it makes little sense to sell anything smaller than the Focus in the US. Anything smaller has to carry more metal for its size, or expensive alloys, to meet safety standards.

Fuel prices here will have doubled from last year, sometime this week. I anticipate that price to at least double yet again before the end of Summer. That will turn consumers to fuel efficient cars again. I think that Ford is limber enough to adjust quickly to market demands without extensive losses (with the possibility of substantial gain).

[ksa8907]

What if they start building and selling electric Lincolns to still meet CAFE reqs?

[Fat Charlie]

You've just got to shake your head, looking at all the companies that can make profits selling smaller cars while hearing folks from Detroit denying that it's possible to do.

[RustyLugNut]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

What if they start building and selling electric Lincolns to still meet CAFE reqs?

Small cars don't make money. For roughly the same input of effort, larger vehicles make bunches more money. Electrifying and hybridizing a vehicle costs money. If you can barely make money on a vehicle to begin with you cannot absorb the costs of electrification and hybridization. Electrify and hybridize larger, less fuel efficient vehicles. They need the help the most. They also have the profit ceilings to absorb the associated costs and still make a handsome profit.

The Toyota Prius was done as advertising. It lost gobs of money for its first years of production. Toyota should have hybridized it's pickup line.

Ford has planned to move forward with electrification and hybridization just like other manufacturers. The ability to extend the internal combustion engine 's efficiency moves forward as well as aerodynamics and weight savings. Plop down electrified crossovers with MPGe ratings well above current fuel economies and you can make EPA mandates.

[freebeard]

My Arcimoto FUV reservation number comes up in the 2nd or 3rd quarter. It could be one of two series — my " early reservation and proximity" qualify me for "consideration in [our] pilot program". that means a vehicle in Q3 2018. If I elect to wait for a retail production vehicle, they estimate a Q4 2018 delivery.

/humblebrag

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by RustyLugNut

Electrify and hybridize larger, less fuel efficient vehicles. They need the help the most. They also have the profit ceilings to absorb the associated costs and still make a handsome profit... Toyota should have hybridized it's pickup line.

I've been saying this since forever. Where are all the large hybrids? They are the ones able to recapture the added expense of hybridization faster since they save larger quantities of fuel.

Let's say a (relatively) small car like the Prius is 20% more efficient due to the hybrid system. Maybe without the hybrid drive-train, it would get 40 MPG, but since it has it, it gets 48 MPG. Over the course of 12,000 miles in the year, the hybrid system would save 50 gallons of gasoline.

Now take a Ford F150 that gets 20 MPG, but can get 24 MPG with a hybrid system (20% better). It saves 100 gallons of gasoline driving those same 12,000 miles compared to the Prius.

Obviously it's more efficient to drive the Prius, but if someone insists on driving a larger vehicle, it makes more sense for these larger vehicles to be hybrids. Not only is there much room for improving fuel economy, but there is much room to improve performance. A relatively small 4-cylinder engine might be big enough to accelerate with a load when assisted by powerful electric motors.

[Xist]

I think guys in short pants and weird socks are more likely to drive hybrids than truck guys.

Someone please remind me if we have hybrid semis yet.

Also, I think people who get 50 MPG are infinitely more likely to say "I get 50 MPG! Road trip!"

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by acparker

If Mazda and Volvo continue to sell cars in the US market then Ford is still selling cars in the US market.

Don't forget Jaguar...

Maybe a decade ago, but Ford no longer has any stake in either Mazda, Volvo or Jaguar.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by Xist

Also, I think people who get 50 MPG are infinitely more likely to say "I get 50 MPG! Road trip!"

Out on the roads it looks to me like the opposite: "My V8 4x4 gets 7 mpg! Let's drive it all over creation 24/7!"