- Lincoln announced today that it will be working with electric-vehicle startup Rivian to develop its first electric vehicle.
- It’s not an unexpected development; last spring, Ford announced a $500 million investment in Rivian and said that the company would develop an all-new electric vehicle for the company.
- C/D reached out to Lincoln, but a spokesperson declined to say when we should expect the vehicle to debut or what sort of vehicle it will be.
Last spring, Ford announced a $500 million investment into the electric-vehicle startup Rivian to develop an all-new Ford EV. Today, Lincoln, the luxury division of Ford, announced that is also working with the EV startup to develop its first electric-powered vehicle.
Lincoln’s forthcoming EV will use Rivian’s skateboard platform, a modular system that integrates the battery, motors, suspension, cooling, and brakes into an interchangeable frame that can go from vehicle to vehicle. The vehicle Rivian is working on for Ford will also be based on this platform but is separate from the Mustang Mach-E and the electric F-150 that Ford has in the works.
“Working with Rivian marks a pivotal point for Lincoln as we move toward a future that includes fully electric vehicles,” Joy Falotico, the president of Lincoln, said in a press release.
Lincoln already has several plug-in hybrids on the market, including the Aviator and Corsair Grand Touring. In 2017, Reuters reported that the auto manufacturer plans to offer hybrid versions of all of its U.S.-available models by 2022.
Rivian currently has two vehicles in the works, including the R1T, an electric pickup, and the R1S, an electric SUV. In 2019 alone, the Detroit-based startup raised $2.85 billion in funding from Ford, $1.3 billion from T. Rowe Price, and $700 billion from Amazon. Rivian’s vehicles are expected to go into production later this year.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
