A recent article from Bloomberg reports that Ford's ' skunkworks ' electric vehicle engineering team is quietly working to directly compete with the upcoming and highly anticipated Tesla Model 2 – which is expected to be Elon Musk 's most affordable, mass-market electric car to date.
See also: Ford: Heading towards hybrid technology
News that Tesla's most affordable electric car was coming first surfaced last year, based on information reported by Reuters. The model, which will cost under €25,000 ($26,838 / AU$41,000), will be produced at Gigafactory in Berlin.
Now, it has been revealed that Ford has brought together some of its top engineers to accelerate the development of a small and affordable model that will directly compete with the Model 2 – among them is Alan Clarke, a former Tesla employee who previously oversaw the development of the ModelY.
According to a Bloomberg report, a small team of about 100 employees is working on a more economical electric vehicle platform, which reportedly includes the use of lithium-iron-phosphorus batteries, which are rumored to be about 30% cheaper than traditional lithium-ion batteries.
See also: Ford: Moves towards a more affordable approach to EV vehicles
Ford executive Jim Farleycreated the “skunkworks” team to focus on “smaller electric vehicle products,” after admitting that customers were unwilling to pay the additional cost for larger, more expensive electric vehicles.
According to the Bloomberg report, the framework that this skunkworks team is working on could support a small SUV, which will be priced to compete with the upcoming Tesla, as well as a pickup truck and possibly a vehicle for ride‑hailing services.
See also: New Facebook scam promises a Ford Mustang
The technology of electric cars has advanced significantly in recent years, with companies such as Tesla and Ford pioneering in this field. Electric cars have now become a reality, with increased acceptance and widespread availability in the market. Initially, electric cars were limited in terms of range and speed, but with the evolution of battery technology, these problems have begun to be eliminated. Modern lithium-ion batteries offer greater range and faster charging, while the introduction of fast-charging systems has accelerated the charging process. Furthermore, the evolution of electric car technology has enabled the development of more advanced energy management systems, such as regenerative braking, which help increase efficiency and range.
Source: techradar
