EV Sales Are Not Performing As Hoped - Letter To The president

[JExpedition07]

I suspect The PowerBoost increase in production is what allowed Ford to restructure the F-150 lineup to offer more V8 now. You can tell the need for the 2.7 is dwindling for CAFE with increase PB production numbers. We went from the 2.7 being the volume leader to the 5.0 now being the volume leader for 2024 and beyond, with the 2.7 being almost relegated solely to the 3.3’s old slot. I don’t think that would happen without the increased PB numbers helping the corp average. Honestly I think ford could do away with 2.7 in its entirely if they consolidate to just the V8 and 3.5 and offer a down and dirty hybrid package for both motors. I think your typical EBooster needs/wants would be covered by both 2.7 and 3.5, so 3.5 could cover both. V8 consumers are generally looking for different things, so offering 5.0 and 3.5 both as ICE and hybrid covers the most bases imo.

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[Samson16]

Tesla shared its 48V architecture with other automakers. Farley was appreciative.

 

[JExpedition07]

Tesla shared its 48V architecture with other automakers. Farley was appreciative.

Tesla uses many of my patents. However, I make Elon sign an affidavit that my patents must remain open source when I sell them to him.

 

[Samson16]

Tesla uses many of my patents. However, I make Elon sign an affidavit that my patents must remain open source when I sell them to him.

You said patents but I read parents squirt

 

[JExpedition07]

EV’s did rise from the free market. Tesla was started by an automobile enthusiast who was an engineer, and believed in the concept. Elon Musk did a hostile takeover of Tesla. He is not the founder nor inventor, and the govt did not start the company. It merely subsidized it, as it did with oil. I do agree they are pushing too hard, and should not “outlaw” anything….but subsidizing happens. That’s life.

 

[Samson16]

Elon Musk did a hostile takeover of Tesla

Infusing a failing startup with $30 million one year after inception, well Ok, hostile in that he wasn't a magical fairy godfather, sure.
I reject the silliness that Elon putting his own PayPal money behind Tesla is somehow not free market activity.

I suppose a BS in physics from Penn makes him the dumb luck guy?

*edit
One more thing: "All Hail Elon!!"

 

[JExpedition07]

Infusing a failing startup with $30 million one year after inception, well Ok, hostile in that he wasn't a magical fairy godfather, sure.
I reject the silliness that Elon putting his own PayPal money behind Tesla is somehow not free market activity.

I suppose a BS in physics from Penn makes him the dumb luck guy?

*edit
One more thing: "All Hail Elon!!"

He was a bit of a snake the way he ousted the old ceo. A lot of history there, call it free market….its still pretty shady business the way he manipulated the board and the bylaws. Smart man no doubt.

 

[Samson16]

Shhh..

SpaceX's Starlink clears military tests in Arctic, paving way for contracts

Maybe “All Hail Elon” won’t be funny someday soon

 

[780]

EV’s did rise from the free market.

Yep. They've been around since the early 1900's....

https://archive.curbed.com/2017/9/22/16346892/electric-car-history-fritchle

 

[Snakebitten]

There are business publications that will report the average gross profit per vehicle. I don't know how the values are harvested, but they are discussed publicly at places like Munro, which is a cost analysis engineering firm.

I remember when watching an episode discussing the huge advantage Tesla now has over the competition, because of their continuous efforts of vertical integration (manufacturing the components themselves), it was a bit staggering.

I'm pretty sure they mentioned Ford and I'm not sure if it was even double digits? (%) It might have been, but barely in the teens?
Tesla is reported to have recently reached as much as 40% on some models trims. An unheard of margin in the mass production category.

 

[780]

It’s not, Ford is making an average of $10,000 in margins off a typical F-150 sale. It’s no secret the upper trims have larger margins approaching $15,000. An XL is likely $7,000-$8,000 in profit per unit. Unless ford wants to lose money hand over fist, I don’t see how they are retailing an F-150 for $35,000.

They need to make profit to stay in business. Manufacturing cost, research and development, updating plants to build these new trucks, paying the workforce, etc, etc..... I can't see any company offering that trim of truck for 35K.

Free market says if we don't like the price they want, we didn't have to buy our F150's.

And if people are willing to pay 50K for a STX, of course Ford is going to take it.
And it's not just Ford. Most similarly equipped trucks from other manufactures are priced about the same. One truck isn't 15K cheaper than it's direct competition.

 

[JExpedition07]

Not to mention, my STX is pretty posh compared to a regular XL or Transit van. Mirrors and glass are all heated, soft touch stitched arm wrests on doors and center console. Auto up/down windows, remote start, 20” wheels, touch screen with CarPlay, separated tweeters. It’s hard to call it stripped down when my dad drives a GMC Savannah as his secondary vehicle. Now that’s stripped down. Steel wheels, no remote start, hard touch surfaces, no cruise control. Lol.

 

[Tomas Driusi]

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[HammaMan]

CT has some odd choices. The aluminum bodies of current fords is dinky -- Ford needs to look at going with a MUCH thicker aluminum alloy that's harder. Current stuff is quite flimsy. Don't want no SS look -- thicker / stiffer aluminum with better paint compounds. Hood and roof, just a hair thicker, doors / fenders / bed exterior thicker / stronger. We'll pay the ~40lb weight penalty.

CT's UCA -- rinky dink. One of the RC models that'd been running around had already damaged / bent it. I suspect that will be changed rather soon.

Hahaha, I called it. Pretzel UCAs on CT

 

[Snakebitten]

You did indeed.
I have respect for Tesla as a disrupter in an industry that can use disruption.

But they have to EARN their Truck wings.
Or put another way, although the vast majority of truck owners use/abuse their trucks the same as their cars, you can rest assured that some Trucks WILL get subjected to Truck testing.

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