Ford has called off its plan to make an electric vehicle in cooperation with Rivian, a Michigan-based electric vehicle company, under its luxury Lincoln brand.
Lincoln in a statement said “Given the current environment, Lincoln and Rivian have decided not to pursue the development of a fully electric vehicle based on Rivian’s skateboard platform.”
The firm further noted “Ford Motor Company’s strategic commitment to Lincoln, Rivian and electrification remains unchanged and Lincoln’s future plans will include an all-electric vehicle consistent with its Quiet Flight DNA.”
The electric vehicle was to be built using Rivian’s “skateboard platform,” a basic electric vehicle structure that will also underlie Rivian’s own R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck.
Rivian was to produce those platforms for Ford at Rivian’s factory in Normal, Illinois.
Ford’s decision clearly indicates that the coronavirus pandemic was to blame for the decision to drop that plan.
However, its not clear why the hell on earth coronavirus would cause Ford to drop plans for the electric Lincoln vehicle entirely rather than simply postpone them.
The complete auto industry is struggling to develop new products as designers and engineers have to stay home to help stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
Ford also said that it might have to delay the launch of its Mustang Mach-E electric SUV as a result of the pandemic, for instance.
The cancellation of this particular vehicle with Rivian would not mean an electric vehicle is not in the works, the firm said that for the Lincoln brand it may come out with all new EV sometime in the future.
Ford ia also working on an electric version of the F-150 pickup.
In April last year when Ford announced a $500 million investment in Rivian, it said the two companies would produce at least one vehicle together.