Polling is showing that people are becoming more aware of the current driving experience of gasoline/diesel vehicles.
In the future, they will begin to realize it is a smaller carbon footprint. And this trend will continue to grow in popularity as we see the price of battery technology continue to fall.
The surging popularity of electric cars is clear, but that doesn’t mean that everyone needs one, and this is why the automakers are trying to jump-start the burgeoning market.
For that reason, both Ford and General Motors have unveiled fully electric vehicles that have the latest energy storage technology. The plan is to spread the technology, getting a foothold on the surging market for electric vehicles and eventually eliminating gasoline/diesel cars.
“While it’s easy to focus only on the race to pursue disruptive technologies, automakers and the industry as a whole need to do more than just compete with one another. It’s crucial that automakers – from the smallest startup to the biggest traditional players – focus on making great cars,” Ford CEO Jim Hackett said during a company conference call last month.
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But seriously, it is imperative that we plan for the future, and that is why Ford announced its first fully electric car, the Ranger, at the annual American Petroleum Institute (API) global refining conference last weekend.
“The Ranger—together with the Kuga, S-MAX, Transit Connect, Mondeo and Mustang—will offer consumers choice, durability and comfort,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO. “Through the Ranger, we are showing customers that the world’s best cars are always electrified.”
They recently unveiled the Ranger/C-Max Energi hatchback at a small event in Fresno, California. With all-wheel drive, a large battery pack and a range of more than 200 miles, the Ranger offers an attractive alternative to electric vehicles of the same quality for everyone who wants to keep a little of their favorite gas engine power in their vehicles.
While the latest Ford products will be based on an industry-leading generation of fuel-efficient plug-in technologies, they also give consumers a distinct vehicle they can drive today with carbon emissions of less than 100 grams per kilometer. But it’s not all about the cars.
Ford is also offering new, flexible, subscription models for its all-electric vehicles to give consumers an efficient, affordable way to obtain what they need, when they need it.
“Until now, the electric vehicle market lacked scalable subscription models and, as a result, was fragmented. As more vehicles are sold in this segment, it will help bring all kinds of new innovative offerings to market,” said Ford director of global product development Pete Fleetwood.
Ford’s “Simple Purchase With a Flexible Model” program will feature the new Ranger Energi, as well as an all-new Ford Focus, which will come with a highly-customizable color that can be connected to the vehicle via a touch screen that is projected onto the road.
What’s really exciting is that this is Ford’s first step into the subscription program business. Ford notes that subscription customers will be able to rent, lease or own Ford vehicles, access a complete dealer network and pay for new Ford vehicles when they want them at a price they can afford.
With so many cars on the road, Ford must be successful if it wants to be a leader in the electric vehicle market.
Let’s see if Ford can execute and move forward with this new program with new and innovative ways to make better choices for consumers and new drivers.