We've known just about everything there is to know about the new 2021 Ford Bronco two and four-door SUVs for a few months now. However, there were some final details that Ford hadn't shared, such as the exact power rating for the available Bronco engines and fill economy ratings. Those details have now surfaced.
The all-electric Ford F-150 may still be a ways out from hitting dealership forecourts, but we now know what it'll be called: the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning. The plug-in pickup will be unveiled officially on May 19, though Ford hasn't been able to resist confirming the badge that the new EV will wear.
Ford has been participating in the NASCAR Cup Series for many years. The Mustang became the car Ford used in the racing series in 2019, where it won at least ten races each of its first two seasons, including 18 victories in 2020, leading to the manufacturers' championship for Ford. The automaker has now revealed its all-new 2022 NASCAR Next Gen Mustang that will take to the track next year.
Ford has confirmed that the two and four-door Bronco SUVs are prewired from the factory with an electrical harness that allows easy customization. The Bronco has six prewired overhead upfitter switches in the main fuse box, allowing the configuration of fuses for each of the switches. Ford has also installed five factory harness connections for simplifying the routing of power around the vehicle.
Ford has launched a new series for its SUVs, with the 2021 Explorer Timberline promising more off-road ability, even if it also looks kinda like a cop car. Described by the automaker as its "most off-road-capable Explorer ever," the special trim boosts ground clearance and improves both the approach and departure angles.
Ford has dropped the starting price of its 2022 E-Transit all-electric van, even before the EV has made it to dealerships. Announced last November, and with order books expected to open in July 2021, the E-Transit looks at first glance like its longstanding gasoline counterpart, something Ford says is very intentional.
Ford-backed autonomous vehicle company Argo has announced its own LIDAR sensor, claiming to have cracked the balance between long-range scanning and commercial-ready scale. The Argo Lidar promises what the company believes to be the longest sensing range at over 1,300 feet, despite still supporting nighttime use and high-resolution scanning.
Ford and BMW are looking to solid-state batteries for future EVs with more range, lower costs, and more flexible designs, both pumping new investment into battery specialist Solid Power. The deal - which sees the automakers take part in a new $130 million investment round - will give the automakers an early taste of next-gen batteries going into pilot production in 2022.
The UAW is continuing to fight Ford and its plan to move production of one of its electric vehicle models from the US to Mexico. The most recent attempt to thwart Ford's plans by the UAW comes in the union calling for tax incentives for electric vehicles to require that the vehicles are built in the US. Currently, the $7500 federal tax incentive for the purchase of an electric vehicle doesn't require that the vehicle is built in the United States.
Ford is taking time to brag on its 2021 Bronco Badlands four-door SUV. The automaker has announced that two lead Bronco engineers behind the wheel of a stock 2021 Bronco Badlands have put the SUV on the podium at the NORRA Mexican 1000 off-road rally. When Ford says stock, what it means is the vehicle had a stock powertrain and drivetrain, but it was fitted with required safety equipment for the grueling race.
Some car ideas take a little explaining, but others are so obvious you wonder why nobody else thought of them before. The 2021 Ford F-150's Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch features, arriving later this year, fall solidly into the second category, making it much easier to figure out how close you're getting to the maximum payload rating of your truck.
Ford is planning a new EV battery hub in Michigan, with Ford Ion Park tasked with figuring out longer ranges and cheaper costs as the automaker pushes its electric vehicle line-up. The "global battery center of excellence" will be a 200,000 square-foot lab and pilot project location in the southeast of the state, Ford says, with the automaker spending $185 million on the new facility.