Ford invests in electrified solutions

Ford is investing an additional $4.5 billion in electrified vehicle solutions by 2020 as well as changing how the company develops vehicle experiences for customers.

Ford is adding 13 new electrified vehicles to its portfolio by 2020, when more than 40 percent of the company’s global nameplates will come in electrified versions. This represents Ford’s largest-ever electrified vehicle investment in a five-year period.

On the way next year is a new Focus Electric, which features all-new DC fast-charge capability delivering an 80% charge in an estimated 30 minutes and projected 100-mile range – an estimated two hours faster than today’s Focus Electric.

Ford also is reimagining how to set itself apart in the marketplace by focusing on the customer experience and not just the vehicle itself. The company is changing its product development process to support the shift.

‘The challenge going forward isn’t who provides the most technology in a vehicle but who best organises that technology in a way that most excites and delights people,’ said Raj Nair, executive vice president, product development. ‘By observing consumers, we can better understand which features and strengths users truly use and value and create even better experiences for them going forward.’

In addition to traditional market research, Ford is investing in social science-based research globally, observing how consumers interact with vehicles and gaining new insights into the cognitive, social, cultural, technological and economic nuances that affect product design.

‘As both an auto and a mobility company, we at Ford are going further than just designing the product to move people from point A to point B,’ Raj said. ‘We are considering the way customers interact with our vehicles as a unified experience, looking for ways to excite and delight customers and make their lives better.’