While we are still lamenting the 3-cylinder engine of the new Focus series and looking forward to returning to the top after switching back to the four-cylinder engine, Ford is facing unprecedented challenges.
Taking China's sales as an example, Changan Ford's figure of less than 25,000 vehicles in January is not even as good as bmw's monthly sales of the 3 Series. In this context, the Ford brand is undergoing a major change within the brand.
As early as 2021, there were rumors that Ford would split the electric vehicle sector independently, but the first time the official denied it.
But the reality always comes very suddenly, on the evening of March 2, Beijing time, Ford released a new strategy, this action is about new energy, mainly to split the electric vehicle business.
The soldiers are divided into three ways
At the press conference, It was announced that Ford Motor will operate the fuel vehicle business (Ford Blue) and electric vehicle business (Ford Model e) independently, while Ford has also established "Ford Pro" to focus on commercial vehicles and services and "Ford Drive" to focus on mobility. Three independently operating business units are formed, which are expected to be formally implemented in 2023.
According to the plan, Ford Blue will continue to develop its iconic fuel vehicle products, such as the F-Series and Ranger pickups, Bronco, Mustang and Explorer SUV. These models will ensure the lower sales limit of the brand, and will also adhere to the brand value and influence of the century-old Ford.
Correspondingly, the task of Ford Model e is to make bold breakthroughs, develop and enhance the core technology and capabilities of electric vehicles, create pure electric hardware platforms and intelligent software platforms, and try to do the same thing as tesla and other new power companies.
That is to say, the two independent units are responsible for "keeping the family property" and "bold research and development", but independence does not mean isolation, and coordinated development is Ford's original intention.
In the official announcement, it was mentioned that "Ford will also maintain two independent operations while sharing some related technologies." ”
In this way, not only more R&D costs are saved, but each team can focus on different directions and maximize efficiency.
The reason behind it
In today's overall situation in the global market, although fuel vehicles still occupy the main position, the growth rate and development potential of electric vehicles are obvious to all.
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, Ford is eager to cater to today's market needs, but it is clear that consumers are not buying it. In addition to the F-series pickup trucks in the North American market, they are not satisfactory in other markets.
As for the electric vehicle field, although the Market Demand for Mutang Mach-E is very high, judging only by product strength, it is also a very good model, but the sales volume has not met expectations.
Therefore, if Ford wants to gain an advantage in many opponents, it must find its own core competitiveness, and it is far from enough to rely on the feelings of the fuel era.
According to this deduction, if you want to lead the electric track, focus on the electric and intelligent fields alone and increase investment, it is definitely the wisest choice at present.
Positive effects
All in all, this split can help Ford's entire system.
In terms of technology, the research and development results of the three units will support the global market, whether it is Changan Ford or Jiangling Ford, or the more high-end Lincoln brand, they can select any "material" and assemble it into a traditional fuel vehicle or electric vehicle model required by the market.
In addition to this, the electric division will try a whole new approach to marketing. Ford said ford model e will also be responsible for designing a new set of buying and using experiences for consumers of electric vehicles, including e-commerce platforms. That said, Ford is already considering a direct-operated model similar to that of the new forces.
From the recent booking of the new Raptor's official website in China, it can also be seen that Ford has incorporated the direct operation model into the future sales model.
Of course, it is too early to judge the proceeds of this split, but Ford's determination to dare to change deserves more expectations.