AD #3084 – Ford Reveals F-150 Lightning; Stellantis & IVECO Test In-Road Charging; Toyota Tapping Suppliers for ADAS

This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.

FORD REVEALS ALL-ELECTRIC F-150 LIGHTNING
Ford pulled the wraps off the all-electric F-150 Lightning. Distinctive style is highlighted by an LED light strip that connects the two headlamps together. Behind that lighting is a massive frunk, which is expected to have 400 liters of space, the ability to carry 400 pounds as well as four electrical outlets and two USB chargers. The interior also features the Mach-E’s giant center display screen. But now let’s get to the good stuff. All models come standard with 4-wheel drive thanks to dual electric motors. Ford says it’s targeting output of 563 horsepower and 775 lb-ft of torque for models with the larger battery pack. That should return a 0-60 time in the mid-4 second range. It will also allow a maximum of 10,000 pounds to be towed. Models with the standard battery pack have a max. payload of 2,000 pounds. Ford didn’t reveal sizes for those battery packs but estimates a range of 230 miles for the small pack and 300 miles for the larger. Production kicks off next year and pricing starts at nearly $40-grand for entry models, before incentives, while a mid-level XLT will start just below $53,000.

FORD INKS U.S. BATTERY DEAL WITH SK INNOVATION
Speaking of Ford and EVs, it’s securing the battery supplies it needs. Ford and SK Innovation have reached an agreement to build batteries in the U.S. This move was made possible by a settlement between SK and rival battery maker LG Chem. LG sued SK for stealing trade secrets, which resulted in an import ban for SK. But it’s going to avoid that by paying LG $1.8 billion. The batteries that come out of SK’s U.S. plant in Georgia will be used in the new F-150 Lightning.

FARADAY FUTURE SHOWS OFF BIG REAR DISPLAY
EV startup Faraday Future is showing off some of the rear seat features in its FF 91 vehicle. Passengers in the rear can lower and raise a roof-mounted 27-inch display with AI-enhanced voice commands. It’s also equipped with in-cabin cameras that support video conferencing and the rear display can mirror the rider’s phone. Faraday is preparing to go public through a SPAC merger that’s expected to close in the second quarter of the year. The company is aiming to launch the FF 91 within 12 months of the merger.

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STELLANTIS & IVECO TEST INDUCTIVE IN-ROAD CHARGING
ElectReon, a company that’s developing inductive in-road charging, is collaborating with Stellantis, IVECO and a number of other partners, to test wireless charging. The project will see the construction of a closed beltway, a little over a half a mile in length near Milan, Italy. ElectReon will install its technology in two Stellantis electric vehicles, the models weren’t disclosed, and an IVECO bus. And will demonstrate inductive in-road charging while vehicles are stationary, like at a toll booth, as well as charging while the vehicle is in motion. The project will also look at the best way to install the system, so roads remain durable while not impacting the performance of the technology.

CANOO REVEALS PRICING FOR ITS LIFESTYLE VEHICLE
Revealing that it’s under investigation from the SEC made headlines earlier this week, but Canoo also announced pricing for its cool-looking people mover or what it calls the Lifestyle Vehicle. Base models come in at a little under $35,000 before incentives and go up to about $50-grand. Anyone that’s interested can plunk down a $100 deposit right now. But as we noted the other day, there’s been a number of negative reports around Canoo recently and it’s stock price has been cut by two-thirds since December.

ZF & MOBILEYE DEVELOPING ADAS FOR TOYOTA
ZF and Mobileye will develop advanced driver assistance systems for Toyota. It wasn’t revealed what vehicles will be installed with the technology but it will be used in “multiple vehicle platforms.” Mobileye’s EyeQ4 chip for autonomous driving will be combined with ZF’s Gen21 mid-range technology, which will help the vehicle to understand the environment around it. The system is designed to meet 2022 Euro NCAP 5-Star Safety ratings and enable Level 2 automated driving functions, like pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.

BMW 1ST TO USE SUSTAINABLE TIRES
Automakers are embracing the use of more sustainable materials in their vehicles and now BMW is the first manufacturer to use tires made from sustainable natural rubber and rayon, a wood-based material used to strengthen the tires. The 22-inch tires, made and developed by Pirelli, will be available this August for the plug-in hybrid version of the X5. The tire will be made exclusively at Pirelli’s plant in Rome, Georgia, then shipped to BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina to have them installed on the X5 plug-in.

ACURA SETS PRICE FOR TLX TYPE S
The performance version of the Acura TLX, the Type S, is about to arrive at dealerships in the U.S. It goes on sale June 23rd with a starting price just over $53,000, including destination charges. It’s powered by a 3.0L V6 that cranks out 355 horsepower and is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Its fuel economy is 21 MPG combined. The chassis features a double-wishbone suspension, adaptive dampers and the braking system from the NSX. If you’re interested, Acura just launched a site where you can build and price your own and contact a dealer to reserve one. But you better act quick, only 2,000 will be built for the 2021 model year.

We’ve got a great Autoline After Hours this afternoon. Joining John and Gary will be Eric Noble from The Car Lab and Sam Fiorani from AutoForecast Solutions. Some of the topics they’ll tackle include; Would Americans buy a Hong Guang Mini EV? Will OEMs become “tech” companies, before tech companies become “OEMs”? Did COVID kill car sharing? Will EVs have hockey-stick growth? And will OEMs price themselves out of the market? I don’t know how they’ll manage to fit it all in, but it all gets going at 3 pm eastern time and you’re invited to join.

But that’s it for today’s show, thanks for watching.