Ford's $30,000 EV - "Model T Moment"

[JSH]

I’m a bit surprised that nobody has mentioned Ford’s new low cost EV platform yet that they are calling their “Model T Moment”.

Basic facts: $5 billion investment, first product in 2027, built in the Louisville plant (which means 2025 is the last year for the Escape and Corvair), LFP batteries, and it is supposed to use a skateboard chassis made from a single casting. The bodies will also be produced in two halves – front and back – which makes assembly MUCH better for the workers and reduces time required because you don’t have to feed seats, dashes, etc through small door openings. (Something be have been doing in the heavy duty segment for years)

That last part is the “Model T Moment”. Ford is planning to not just a common platform – basically a common catalog of parts – but a common skateboard chassis with different bodies on top. Something that has been shown with EV concepts for decades but not actually done in production.


First of 5 products will be a $30,000 Maverick sized truck

Future products include:
2 row CUV
3 row CUV
Cargo Van
Passenger Van

[freebeard]

Their “Model T Moment” sounds a lot like Tesla's 'unboxed' assembly line.

[redpoint5]

Yeah, was just going to say it sounds like they're adopting Tesla's manufacturing strategies.

It's a brownfield though, right, so that tends to impose limitations that a greenfield does not have. What those limitations might be- I have no idea.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Their “Model T Moment” sounds a lot like Tesla's 'unboxed' assembly line.

Yes / No. Tesla's "unboxed assembly" described building a car in modular assemblies but in fixed sub-assembly stations instead of on assembly lines with the idea of reducing the size of an assembly plant by 50%. These subassemblies would then be brought together for final assembly. It is like how a modern commercial aircraft is made.

Ford's idea is to have multiple assembly lines that fishbone into the main line. They already do something similar today with truck manufacturing where the main line is the chassis line when frame rails come in one end and piece by piece the suspension, gas tank, etc gets added. There are sublines that feed into this line. (Engine line, cab line, box line). The big change is a single or very limited skateboard for all the variants and breaking the main passenger compartment in two. Going back to the Model T – it didn’t matter which body; coupe, convertible, sedan, van, truck – they all went on the same chassis.

Originally Posted by redpoint5

It's a brownfield though, right, so that tends to impose limitations that a greenfield does not have. What those limitations might be- I have no idea.

Yes, it is a brownfield but the main problem with a brownfield is the normal requirement to make changes for a new product while the existing product continues production. Been there, done that and it is full of headaches. That results in a lot of cost because the work needs to be done either on weekends or several short shutdowns. In a brownfield you can also have problems with the basic shape / layout of the plant, ceiling heights, etc. Those can be fixed, you just knock down the old and build the new but that takes extra time and money. On the other hand, with a brownfield some very expensive equipment can be repurposed.

Ford is taking Louisville assembly offline for at least 18 months.

[freebeard]

More on the 'Model T moment':

Deep Dive: Program Details of Ford's Modular EV
Basic Specs lists 'unprecedented aero for a pickup', cheaper to operate than a[n old] Tesla, and Blue Cruise level 2 self driving.

[redpoint5]

We've been promised a "skateboard" for decades now, but nobody has built one. Seems like exactly the way to maximize profit. Since people don't care about the guts of the car, that can be a common platform that gets amoratized over many different vehicle "models", which are essentially different body configurations.

Hoping Ford will be innovating the manufacturing process and be competitive.

[Isaac Zachary]

I'm glad for Ford. Hopefully they can make good cars at good prices this way.