Lincoln puts EVs on the back burner amid Ford’s shift to more affordable EV models

Published

2 years ago

March 19, 2024

admin

After Ford announced a surprising shift to more affordable EVs, its luxury Lincoln brand is putting electric on the back burner.

Lincoln backtracks on EVs as Ford shifts to affordable

In an interview (via Detroit News), Lincoln President Dianne Craig said that the company is “listening to what customers really need.”

According to Craig, since “Navigator customers tend to tow more,” electric vehicles don’t “make as much sense.”

“That’s how we think about this transition — whether it’s hybrids, plug-in hybrids, full hybrids, ultimately to EVs down the road — it’s going to be different depending on segmentation,” Lincoln’s president explained.

The comments starkly contrast what the brand touted just two years ago under then-president Joy Falotico.

Before Craig took over as President in December 2022, Lincoln unveiled its Star Concept that April. The Lincoln Star was presented as the vision for four new EVs promised out by 2026 to compete with GM’s Cadillac Lyriq. Lincoln said EVs were expected to account for half its global volume by 2025.

Here we are, over a quarter of the way through 2024, and Lincoln has yet to launch its first all-electric vehicle.

Craig confirmed the brand won’t make “any grand declarations” on its EV roadmap until “we really understand what our premium customers want.” For now, Lincoln is focusing on its current lineup, including the Corsair, Nautilus, and new Aviator.

Initial plans called for a three-row Aviator EV to enter production by the end of 2024, followed by a Corsair EV in early 2025 and an electric Navigator, which was expected in 2026.

Lincoln launched the new Nautilus this month, which will serve as a tech beacon for Ford’s luxury brand.

Although Lincoln sees the transition to EVs as inevitable, the luxury brand says now is not the right time to make those declarations.

The comments come after a source told Bloomberg Businessweek that Ford was developing a low-cost EV platform to power a smaller electric pickup and SUV with starting prices around $25,000.

Ford-affordable-electric-SUV — Ford electric Explorer SUV for Europe (Source: Ford)

Ford’s first affordable EV is expected to launch in 2026 to rival the low-cost electric car Tesla is working on. Meanwhile, Ford is delaying plans for a larger three-row electric SUV due to the shift. Ford’s CEO, Jim Farley, stressed the importance of smaller, more affordable EVs to make a profit.

Electrek’s Take

While Lincoln is “listening to its customers,” the brand could set itself behind rivals like Cadillac, Porsche, BMW, Genesis, Volvo, and others that already have EVs on the road.

Porsche unveiled its electric Macan earlier this year, which has already scored over 10,000 orders. Hyundai’s Genesis brand is expanding in the US after EV sales nearly quadrupled last year.

Volvo is set to launch its fully electric 7-seater SUV, the EX90, starting at $76,695. Range Rover said its first EV had over 16,000 buyers waiting last month. As you can see, there is demand for luxury electric vehicles. Customers don’t know what they want until you show it to them.

By delaying EVs now, Lincoln is only setting itself further behind. EV startups like Rivian and Lucid are also gaining market share in the luxury segment.

Rivian’s R1S electric SUV was the seventh best-selling EV in the US last year, topping the F-150 Lightning and Tesla Model X. More recently, the brand revealed its more affordable R2, which could take even more market share from gas-powered vehicles.

What do you guys think? Is Lincoln making a mistake? Let us know what you think in the comments.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Environment

Trump admin OKs $1B loan for Three Mile Island nuclear reboot

Published

5 hours ago

November 18, 2025

admin

Three Mile Island loan — By Constellation Energy – CC BY-SA 4.0

The US Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) closed a $1 billion loan to restart Three Mile Island Unit 1, a nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island in Londonderry Township, Pennsylvania.

The money is being loaned to Constellation Energy Generation, which is renaming the 835 megawatt (MW) Three Mile Island Unit 1 the Crane Clean Energy Center. Constellation said in September 2024 that it would restart the reactor under a power purchase agreement with Microsoft, which needs more clean power to feed its growing data-center demand.

The project is estimated to cost around $1.6 billion, and the DOE says the project will create around 600 jobs. The reactor is expected to start generating power again in 2027.

Three Mile Island Unit 1 (in the foreground in the photo above) went offline in 2019 because it could no longer compete with cheaper natural gas, but it wasn’t decommissioned. It’s capable of powering the equivalent of approximately 800,000 homes. It’s on the same site as the Unit 2 reactor (in the background in the photo above) that went into partial nuclear meltdown in 1979, and is known as the worst commercial nuclear accident in US history.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

When asked about the loan’s timing, Greg Beard, senior adviser to the Loan Programs Office, told reporters on a call that it would “lower the cost of capital and make power cheaper for those PJM [Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland] ratepayers.” Data centers are driving up electricity costs for consumers.

If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!

Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad

Add Electrek as a preferred source on Google

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Environment

Ford opens orders for the electric Bronco in China, starting at under $33,000

Published

6 hours ago

November 18, 2025

admin

Ford opens orders for the electric Bronco in China, starting at under ,000

An affordable Bronco EV? Not for those in the US. Ford opened orders for the electric Bronco in China, starting at under $33,000.

Ford Bronco electric pre-orders open at under $33,000

Ford announced the All-Wheel Drive electric SUV is officially open for pre-sale on Tuesday, starting at RMB 229,800 ($32,300).

The electric Bronco is available in pure electric (EV) and extended range electric vehicle (EREV) options. It’s offered in three variants, priced from RMB 229,800 ($32,300) to RMB 272,800 ($38,400).

All models are All Wheel Drive, while the pure electric version costs an extra 10,000 yuan ($1,400). Ford is offering pre-sale buyers some pretty sweet benefits, including a camping experience package (with an added roof tent), a Mountain Kitchen Multi-Function Tailgate gift, an overnight stay package (for your vehicle), and more.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The electric Ford Bronco is about the same size as the standard 4-door version sold in the US at 5,025 mm long, 1,960 mm wide, and 1,815 mm tall.

Although it may look the same, the EV version draws power from a 105.4 kWh LFP battery pack from BYD’s FinFreams, providing up to 650 km (404 miles) CLTC driving range.

It’s equipped with two electric motors, one in the front and the other in the rear, producing a combined 445 horsepower (332 kW).

The EREV version combines a 43.7 kWh battery with a 1.5T engine, delivering a pure-electric range of 220 km (137 miles) and a combined CLTC driving range of 1,220 km (758 miles).

Some of the higher trims feature Ford’s Fuyu ADAS system, developed exclusively for buyers in China with a roof-mounted LiDAR and over 30 sensors and cameras. It even features a cool “off-road logbook” that shows drivers over 20 popular routes across China.

The interior is custom-tailored for Chinese buyers with a 15.6″ central infotainment and a smaller driver display screen. It also offers a massive 70″ AR head-up display (HUD).

Unlike the Ford vehicles we’re accustomed to seeing, the electric Bronco includes a 7.5L refrigerator in the center console.

The AWD electric SUV is coming at a critical time as Ford aims to revamp its business in China. Ford is working with local partners on new technologies, designs, and powertrain ideas for global markets.

Ford’s sales in China are down by over 14% through October this year, but new electrified vehicles, including the Bronco, are expected to help turn things around. Ford’s lineup in China mainly consists of gas-powered vehicles, which have quickly fallen out of favor with buyers shifting to more advanced, more efficient, and often lower-priced domestic EVs.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Environment

Trump administration backs Three Mile Island nuclear restart with $1 billion loan to Constellation

Published

7 hours ago

November 18, 2025

admin

The cooling towers of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 2024.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

The Trump administration will provide Constellation Energy with a $1 billion loan to restart the Crane Clean Energy Center nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, Department of Energy officials said Tuesday.

Previously known as Three Mile Island Unit 1, the plant is expected to start generating power again in 2027. Constellation unveiled plans to rename and restart the reactor in Sept. 2024 through a power purchase agreement with Microsoft to support the tech company’s data center demand in the region.

Three Mile Island Unit 1 ceased operations in 2019, one of a dozen reactors that closed in recent years as nuclear struggled to compete against cheap natural gas. It sits on the same site as Three Mile Island Unit 2, the reactor that partially melted down in 1979 in the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history.

The loan would cover the majority to the project’s estimated cost of $1.6 billion. The first advance to Constellation is expected in the first quarter of 2026, said Greg Beard, senior advisor to the Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office, in a call with reporters. The loan comes with a guarantee from Constellation that it will protect taxpayer money, Beard said.

Constellation’s stock was up more than 2% in after hours trading on Tuesday.

The control panel in the main control room of the Three Mile Island Nuclear power plant is seen on Oct. 30, 2024 in Middletown, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

CEO Joe Dominguez hinted at federal financial support previously, telling investors in Sept. 2024 that Constellation would “take a look as we finance the project at loan guarantees and other things that will be available.” Constellation is the largest operator of nuclear plants in the U.S.

When asked why Constellation was receiving the loan now, Beard said Tuesday that Constellation could have completed the project without help from the Energy Department. But the loan will help make electricity cheaper for consumers on the grid operated by PJM Interconnection, which serves more than 65 million people across 13 states, Beard said.

“What’s important for the administration is to show support for affordable, reliable, secure energy in the U.S.,” Beard told reporters. “This loan to Constellation will lower the cost of capital and make power cheaper for those PJM ratepayers.”

Electricity prices

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said last week that his department’s loan office would use most of its money to support the nuclear industry. President Donald Trump signed four executive orders in May that aim to significantly expand new nuclear capacity.

Consumers in many states in the PJM region are facing significant electricity price increases as the rapid increase in demand from artificial intelligence data centers outstrips available supply.

“We want to bring as much net addition of dispatchable, reliable electricity onto the grid to stop these price rises in electricity,” Wright told reporters on Tuesday.

The turbine deck of the Three Mile Island Nuclear power plant is seen on Oct. 30, 2024 in Middletown, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Danielle DeVries | CNBC

The Crane Clean Energy Center is one of three shuttered nuclear plants in the U.S. that are aiming to start generating power again this decade subject to approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Crane had the capacity to power more than 800,000 homes when it closed in 2019, according to Constellation.

The Energy Department is supporting the restart of the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan with a $1.5 billion loan to Holtec International. NextEra Energy announced in October plans to restart the Duane Arnold nuclear plant in Iowa through an agreement Alphabet‘s Google Unit.

When asked whether NextEra will receive a loan for Duane Arnold, Beard told CNBC that Trump’s executive orders direct the Energy Department to “prioritize the restart of nuclear reactors.”