Ford F150 Lightning EV under consideration for Australia
As the Blue Oval prepares to introduce the hulking F150 pick-up into the local market, it is looking at other potential big sellers from America.
The imminent arrival of the F-150 large pick-up truck could crack the door open to a family of American Fords that have until now been unavailable to Australians.
As the first examples of the hulking six-metre-long, $115,000-plus four-door ute start rolling off a new production line on the northern fringe of Melbourne, Ford is already eyeing other vehicles that could be converted to right-hand drive.
The retro Bronco and all-electric F-150 Lightning are two models that could one day roll off the RMA Automotive Australia remanufacturing facility.
Ford Australia president and chief executive Andrew Birkic said the company has had early discussions about bringing the electric F-150 Lightning Down Under.
“Have we have had some preliminaries? Yes,” said Birkic of the Lightning. “Are we are intrigued by it because of what it offers? Yes.”
He said the company needed to do more investigation about the Lightning, which would cost significantly more than the petrol-powered F-150.
While it uses the same body as the regular F-150, the Lightning has a battery pack in the floor to provide up to 320 miles (515km) of range. Dual motors drive all four wheels and can launch it to 100km/h in about four seconds.
“I think we have to do more work on it,” said Birkic. “Is there a market? Yes. Are there user cases? Yes, without a doubt, I am sure there is. What we know is in Australia we are going to see a greater level of (electric vehicle) adoption.”
Birkic said a lack of supply from the States could prove a hurdle to a local Lightning conversion program.
But the potential for Ford’s Australian conversion facility goes beyond the Lightning.
The Expedition large SUV is built on the same underpinnings as the F-150, while the popular Bronco SUV, which is built off the same platform as the Ford Everest, has also been discussed at Ford Australia.
“I think it is very doable and I’d love to have that challenge,” said Trevor Negus, the general manager of RMA Automotive Australia when asked about converting the Bronco to right-hand drive.
“Bronco is an amazing vehicle and we’d love it. We’re looking at it, but we have nothing to share,” he said.
“There would be lots of decision that would need to be made; left-hand drive, right-hand drive. We would go through a very rigorous process and due diligence,” he said.
“What’s the right way to do it? What’s the most effective way? Can we get the supply? Is it commercially viable?”
But Birkic said a right-hand Bronco presented challenges.
“It’s got to make sense,” he said of the Bronco. “Of course, our job is to forecast future segments and what things will work.
“We will get data from customers and media, from our dealers on what’s working, what we can improve and we will bake into that our product cycles.”
For now, though, the focus is on introducing the petrol-powered F-150 to local dealerships.
The local F-150 conversion program represents an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars.
It’s an extensive remanufacturing process that effectively means the car is built twice.
The RMA facility removes the body from the frame, takes out the engine and gearbox, recuts the firewall, replaces wiring, the dashboard and even the towing hitch and cuts the headlights open to fit new reflectors required for driving on the left.
The company even remaps software to ensure it’s tailored for right-hand drive.
Originally published as Ford F150 Lightning EV under consideration for Australia
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