Ok if GM/Ford go under?

[TyPope]

That is not even a backhanded complement... pickup trucks are not innovative, in my opinion. Everything they have was done someplace else first.

Aluminum bodies, economical engines, hybrid powertrains... nothing new at all.

Even RAMs air suspension was not new...

As an example, the first aluminum body car was... in 1899 (or is it 1901?)... over 100 years ago. How long has aircraft, Airstream trailers, and many others been made from aluminum?
Morgan Olson made delivery trucks from aluminum in the 50s...
Even Chevy switched to aluminum for their 69 StepKing delivery truck...

Sorry, but ICE pickup trucks are WAY behind, so far behind that calling them innovative seems funny to me.

The first electric vehicle was built in 1832 by Robert Anderson... Tesla is even further behind in innovation!

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[beeeasybro]

With the massive migration to EVs, would you guys be ok if Ford and GM, and other big manufacturers went under or would you rather have them stick around?

Innovation happens from the outside, in the next century I personally would rather have new the comers like Tesla, Rivian, and other EV startups become the giants. We'll probably most of the innovations from them anyway. I just read claims from the ICE manufacturers about how awesome their EVs are going to be.

What are you thoughts?

The big guys HAVE to say their EVs are going to be awesome to put out good PR but the reality is they are so far behind in the EV market that they better be awesome just to stay afloat. Tesla has set the bar so high that the competition is required to be innovative in their tech and engineering or else they will ... how you say, "DIE."

 

[ldjessee]

The big guys HAVE to say their EVs are going to be awesome to put out good PR but the reality is they are so far behind in the EV market that they better be awesome just to stay afloat. Tesla has set the bar so high that the competition is required to be innovative in their tech and engineering or else they will ... how you say, "DIE."

I have seen companies very successful be self destructive. I have seen ego and pride from the leadership cause them to over extend and then a rough spot and they have no where to go.

The US GDP is reportedly dropped by 33% and possibly more by the end of the year... Sure most of these car companies are not 'US' only, but if truck sales drop by 1/2 for the year and a company is still in debt from the last financial drop... Even if Ford trucks are profitable, if the rest of Ford, especially Ford credit/financial services company is not and the management does not navigate the situation well...

 

[beeeasybro]

I have seen companies very successful be self destructive. I have seen ego and pride from the leadership cause them to over extend and then a rough spot and they have no where to go.

The US GDP is reportedly dropped by 33% and possibly more by the end of the year... Sure most of these car companies are not 'US' only, but if truck sales drop by 1/2 for the year and a company is still in debt from the last financial drop... Even if Ford trucks are profitable, if the rest of Ford, especially Ford credit/financial services company is not and the management does not navigate the situation well...

Absolutely! Did you see Ford CEO steps down from his role?

 

[Sirfun]

Here's Ford's commercial for the electric F-150:

This video is pretty little light on the technical details, and the torque characteristics they're demonstrating are typical of electric vehicles with properly designed motor controls.

But, Ford does have something to show us.

BTW that video is from July 2019.