Teaser image for Silverado EV

[greenne]

You know, all this time I had been downplaying the commercial play in my mind, but that makes a ton of sense. Moreso considering a majority of their aftermarket accessories will work with no fuss on this new truck. There's a lot to be said for that since many businesses sink tens of thousands of dollars into making their trucks work for them.

That plus the familiarity of an existing vehicle is a massive advantage. Unless Chevy is planning a more traditional body for the commercial/fleet version, they'll have a hard time winning people over.

I went to the Ford commercial EV event because I couldn't get into the retail f150 Lightning EV tour. Ford showed off both the eTransit and the Lightning. The pitch was geared towards small business owners/fleet managers.

In addition to telematics(management).. the themes were low operating cost, low service cost, less downtime-- all while being the same ole' f150 you love(only better). They said surveys they sent out indicated people didn't want some wild design or something radical so Ford didn't go that direction (slight dig at CT).

The presentation guy made a point to say accessories and upfits would easily transfer from the old f150 to this one AND it would be easy to manage/train employees because its nearly identical to the ICE f150.

very clear the points they hope will resonate with conservative business owners wary of change. I don't see anyone else doing that in the EV PU market right now.

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[Snakebitten]

^ This

Choosing to make the EV F150 look like an F150 was a BIG decision, and a good one in my opinion.
Also, Ford is investigating heavy in the onboard native tracking and management features. No 3rd party stuff required. No IT contracts required. It's all native to the vehicle and fleet. Really easy for even the smallest company to enjoy the BIG fleet tools.

Brilliant stuff!
I'm going to enjoy my own at some point in the future. Looking forward to it. But I'm relaxed and going to let it come to me, if you know what I mean.

 

[greenne]

^ This

Choosing to make the EV F150 look like an F150 was a BIG decision, and a good one in my opinion.
Also, Ford is investigating heavy in the onboard native tracking and management features. No 3rd party stuff required. No IT contracts required. It's all native to the vehicle and fleet. Really easy for even the smallest company to enjoy the BIG fleet tools.

Brilliant stuff!
I'm going to enjoy my own at some point in the future. Looking forward to it. But I'm relaxed and going to let it come to me, if you know what I mean.

Ford also mentioned this at the event. Existing fleet manager software would be improved and expanded to every Ford vehicle you had(including EVs and non EVs). You'd be able to monitor driver behavior, track vehicles, remote lock/unlock, designate geofencing, etc. Also for EVs you could have centralized billing(plug and play) with chargers on the go..no more fuel cards, etc.

It was clear Ford's game plan.

I will say on the retail side I'm also impressed by Ford trying to convert legacy vehicles to capitalize on brand(nameplate) loyalty. The Mach E is associated with the Mustang(a bit different but same vibe), the f150, eTransit, upcoming Explorer Ev....rumors of a Bronco EV , etc. This is very different from GM. Ford trying to woo existing customers into EVs by giving them the stuff they love already..only better. I totally dig it. (Also cheaper due to less R&D, common parts/platforms, etc)

I think it a solid business plan with the most promise for success.

 

[Pedaldude]

the grim look on his face says everything, I wonder if he's now regretting telling the design guys "Don't make it look too cool, we don't want to steal sales from the new EV Hummer." Not realizing that he would be getting a Bolt pickup truck!

It almost makes the new Tundra not look bad!

Looking aerodynamic ≠ being aerodynamic, there's a story in I think one of Carroll Smith's books talking about how in the 1960's one of the manufacturers reached out to the guys working on a supersonic jet, after they had asked the speed the manufacturer's race car was expected to go, the reply was that they were not the right people to ask and to go find the guy who designed the DC-3

 

[fitek]

All EVs that look like they have duct tape over their mouths look terrible.

"Terrible" is generous. I always thought the front of the Model 3 looks like Ken doll's privates.

 

[Trukbed]

Not to be mean, but man, why do Chevys just look so plasticy and bendable? They just look to me today like the flimsy Saturn GM made some years ago.

I dont want anything that looks like a heavy wind can blow it away.

And not to mention their Playskool toys looking interior layouts. Their interiors and dashboards look like a couple of new parents who went overboard baby proofing their house.

Were the designers imagining 1 and a half year olds wandering around, learning to walk, right there next to the center console?

I swear to God, I feel more like a man playing with a Speak and Spell, than driving one of their vehicles these days.

 

[Trukbed]

All EVs that look like they have duct tape over their mouths look terrible. The F150 does a good job at making the front look normal. Eventually we will get used to it.

I think Ford could have used an opening in some way. I know the frunk is there, but I imagine an opening that can grab that forced air, funnel and compress it around to a few non motorized fans, that generate electricity and sends it to batter as supplemental energy.

Say the fans are hidden and blow out underneath or something, but to have 50, 60 mph air flowing seems like a totally wasted opportunity. I mean we leverage from wind in the foothills.

Idk tho.

Maybe someone 10 years ago was wondering why Toyota and others weren't fashioning good powered generators with their batteries and engines.

And now they are.

 

[astricklin]

trying to woo existing customers into EVs by giving them the stuff they love already..only better. I totally dig it. (Also cheaper due to less R&D, common parts/platforms, etc)

I think it a solid business plan with the most promise for success.

If Ford does this right (which it looks like they are with the lightning) then they are going to lead the mass adoption of EVs. People know and love their current vehicle and being able to say 'this one does everything the ice version does but is better in ways A,B, and C while eliminating problems A,B, and C.

 

[sotek2345]

I think Ford could have used an opening in some way. I know the frunk is there, but I imagine an opening that can grab that forced air, funnel and compress it around to a few non motorized fans, that generate electricity and sends it to batter as supplemental energy.

Say the fans are hidden and blow out underneath or something, but to have 50, 60 mph air flowing seems like a totally wasted opportunity. I mean we leverage from wind in the foothills.

Idk tho.

Maybe someone 10 years ago was wondering why Toyota and others weren't fashioning good powered generators with their batteries and engines.

And now they are.

You would lose more power to increased drag - 2nd law of Thermodynamics applies here.

If this worked you would have a perpetual motion machine

 

[astricklin]

I think Ford could have used an opening in some way. I know the frunk is there, but I imagine an opening that can grab that forced air, funnel and compress it around to a few non motorized fans, that generate electricity and sends it to batter as supplemental energy.

Say the fans are hidden and blow out underneath or something, but to have 50, 60 mph air flowing seems like a totally wasted opportunity. I mean we leverage from wind in the foothills.

Idk tho.

Maybe someone 10 years ago was wondering why Toyota and others weren't fashioning good powered generators with their batteries and engines.

And now they are.

Because physics tells us that you will have to expend more energy to keep the fan turning than the fan turning will generate.

 

[Pedaldude]

The presentation guy made a point to say accessories and upfits would easily transfer from the old f150 to this one AND it would be easy to manage/train employees because its nearly identical to the ICE f150.

Somehow, I don't see all those 8' service beds being transferred over to the Lightning's only configuration. There had to be more than a few in the audience asking about that. I rarely see crew cab fleet trucks and when I do, they're 8' bed Superduty or Chevy HDs. The only F-150s I see are all regular cab, usually pest control or pool service trucks, sometimes plumbing or HVAC (but they normally have vans). The former are nearly always HDPP with the slide in fiberglass service bodies. Sometimes even with refrigerator units on florist trucks. The only time I see dudes traveling in 4-doors is when they're supervisors, administrators or salesmen. Nine times out of ten, they're in sedans. Either way, nearly 90% of any half-ton fleet trucks, they're regular cabs. Did Ford address this at all?

 

[Trukbed]

Because physics tells us that you will have to expend more energy to keep the fan turning than the fan turning will generate.

Even though the fan is not motorized? The wind churns it.

 

[Trukbed]

You would lose more power to increased drag - 2nd law of Thermodynamics applies here.

If this worked you would have a perpetual motion machine

If wind was blowing a Non motorized fan?

 

[sotek2345]

If wind was blowing a Non motorized fan?

Yes, spinning the fan takes energy, that has to come from somewhere. If you want to generate power from that spinning, that is just a motor in reverse so it adds to the resistance. 2nd law says you always get less out than you put in.

 

[sollie]

If wind was blowing a Non motorized fan?

https://www.quora.com/Why-arent-we-...rs-to-produce-electric-energy-while-they-move

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