Ford has several hybrids, plug-ins, and the Focus EV for the American market, but nothing like the Tesla Model S. However, USA Today is reporting that Ford CEO Mark Fields says the company “has the expertise and ability” to build a high-tech, long-range electric sports sedan like the Model S.
Speaking with reporters and Wall Street investment analysts during a conference call about Ford’s third-quarter earnings last Friday, Fields added, “It’s consistent with our product philosophy.”
Ford says there currently are no plans to create a Model S-fighter per se, but a vehicle larger than the Focus EV and with greater range and performance is in line with the brand’s emphasis on technology. Fields said Ford has the engineering and manufacturing sophistication to do such a model with the range and quickness that characterizes the Model S. “We drove it. We took it apart. We put it back together and we drove it again,” said Fields about the Tesla sedan.
Tesla opened its patents in June to allow the development of high-performance electrics by other makers. The California-based automaker said last week that “[automakers] and the world would all benefit from a common, rapidly-evolving technology platform.” But don’t think that Tesla is merely giving away its technology, as it would benefit financially from battery packs created at its “giga-factory.”
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