Furai
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Speaking with Autocar, Jim Farley shared how Ford’s fresh EV architecture is designed to take on Chinese competitors.
According to Farley, some Chinese EV makers “have really cheap batteries.” However, he noted that their management systems “aren’t that efficient” since they rely on batteries that are bulkier and heavier than they need to be.
“We’ve found 20-30% gains in efficiency but we had to get people over from motorsport to do it,” Farley explained. The foundation of Ford’s UEV platform relies on superior aerodynamics paired with compact, highly efficient batteries.
The Formula 1 Connection
Over half of the aerodynamicists working on the California-based UEV project have backgrounds in Formula 1.
“One of the biggest gifts that Formula 1 ever gave Ford was our skunkworks team in California. Almost every one of them either comes from Formula 1 or is a huge F1 fan,” Farley told Autocar.
While pulling talent from the F1 circuit is a challenge, Farley remarked, “But when people see what we did with this skunkworks, they will say: ‘Wow, that’s cooler engineering than a hypercar.”
Efficiency Breakthroughs
Farley projects that its next-generation midsize pickup will boast a 15% aerodynamic advantage over any current truck on the US market.
According to the Farley, if you paired their battery with the most aerodynamic gas-powered midsize truck currently sold in the US, Ford's new EV truck would deliver an extra 50 miles—or a 15% boost—in driving range. When hitting the highway, that efficiency leap jumps to 30%.
According to Farley, some Chinese EV makers “have really cheap batteries.” However, he noted that their management systems “aren’t that efficient” since they rely on batteries that are bulkier and heavier than they need to be.
“We’ve found 20-30% gains in efficiency but we had to get people over from motorsport to do it,” Farley explained. The foundation of Ford’s UEV platform relies on superior aerodynamics paired with compact, highly efficient batteries.
The Formula 1 Connection
Over half of the aerodynamicists working on the California-based UEV project have backgrounds in Formula 1.
“One of the biggest gifts that Formula 1 ever gave Ford was our skunkworks team in California. Almost every one of them either comes from Formula 1 or is a huge F1 fan,” Farley told Autocar.
While pulling talent from the F1 circuit is a challenge, Farley remarked, “But when people see what we did with this skunkworks, they will say: ‘Wow, that’s cooler engineering than a hypercar.”
Efficiency Breakthroughs
Farley projects that its next-generation midsize pickup will boast a 15% aerodynamic advantage over any current truck on the US market.
According to the Farley, if you paired their battery with the most aerodynamic gas-powered midsize truck currently sold in the US, Ford's new EV truck would deliver an extra 50 miles—or a 15% boost—in driving range. When hitting the highway, that efficiency leap jumps to 30%.
