Ford has written off $1.9bn as it cancelled plans for an all-electric large SUV in the US, opting to produce a hybrid version instead in the latest sign of western carmakers struggling to make profitable electric cars.

The US carmaker said on Wednesday that it would not be able to reach a profit on the electric SUV within a year, its measure of whether a new car is viable, citing the stiff competition from Chinese manufacturers. It will initially write off the cost of $400m (£300m) in tooling for the vehicle, plus another $1.5bn (£1.15bn) in extra costs in the future.

Ford also said it would delay the successor to its F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck until 2027, after initially targeting a launch next year.

  • n3m37h
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    3 months ago

    Did someone say stock buybacks?

    Currently large electric vehicles make 0 sense

    Make all passenger cars electric and work trucks ICE till the battery tech becomes suitable. Require licence to buy/drive big fuck you trucks and fine anyone who isn’t using one for work.

      • n3m37h
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        3 months ago

        3,578lbs curb weight of a Tuscon
        4,414 ioniq 5.

        Max towing capacity. Tuscon 2000lbs. Ioniq 5 1500lbs.

        Not to mention the wear that 1000lbs extra causes.

        Just because something is popular doesn’t mean it makes sense.
        Tic tic challenges, extremely popular, do they make sense to do?

        • emmy67@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          The specsheet comparison is definitely the thing that tells you all you need to know about something…

          • n3m37h
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            3 months ago

            It’s just simple physics, or did you fail that class?

            • emmy67@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              I’m not gonna explain why the things you said make you sound like an idiot. I’m just telling you it does. And that we’re all over here laughing at you.

              • n3m37h
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                3 months ago

                No, it’s not. Tire Particulate Pollution

                You now want everyone to drive around cars that have the equivalent weight of a 5 person family extra?

                Seriously use your brain m8

                • emmy67@lemmy.world
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                  3 months ago

                  Ah the famous made up stuff that had nothing to do with anything. Like the other car doesn’t also have tires?

                  Or that weight is the primary contributor to tires degrading.

                  Idiocy

                  • n3m37h
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                    3 months ago

                    So you’re telling me 900lbs of weight makes 0 difference on tire wear?

                    Yep someone failed or just never took it.

                    Heavier vehicle takes more to move making it use more power. Where you live it may not be an issue but for a lot of Americans it means coal power plants.

                    There are reasons why I stated that big electric vehicles currently don’t make sense. Stop being so narrow minded, I am not basing my views on a single issue