The face of things to come.
Lincoln
Next year, Lincoln celebrates its 100th anniversary as part of the Ford Motor Company. To mark this centennial anniversary, Lincoln is giving itself the gift of electrification. The brand’s first battery electric vehicle will launch next year, Lincoln confirmed Wednesday, leading the charge towards a fully electrified fleet by 2030, consisting of a mix of EVs, hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
That first full-electric model will hit both North American and Chinese roads in 2022. The yet unnamed vehicle will be built on the new “rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive battery electric flexible architecture” announced during Ford’s Capital Markets Day investor event last month. Lincoln ultimately has plans for a total of “four new and distinct fully electric vehicles,” the company said in a statement, all of which will use the new platform.
On a call with media this week, Lincoln told us to look to the Zephyr Reflection concept, which debuted at the Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year, for the clearest hints of what the new BEV will look like, both inside and out. But since Lincoln doesn’t sell sedans in the States anymore, expect the silhouette that arrives next year to be that of an SUV or crossover. Based on the conceptual sketches and teasers that accompanied Lincoln’s release, we’re guessing we’ll see something similar in proportion to the Ford Mustang Mach-E, if not also a touch larger in scale. However, that’s purely speculation at this point.
Though inspired by the Zephyr Reflection concept, the BEV that arrives next year will likely be an SUV.
Lincoln
Lincoln gave us a shadowy peek at the new model’s front light treatment with its new Lincoln Embrace startup animation — a pulse of light that glides from the illuminated crosshair badge to the segmented headlamp signatures before smoothly connecting the entire front end with a single horizontal bar. Inside, we’ll see the next generation of Lincoln’s Quiet Flight design ethos. The cabin should literally be quieter thanks to the electric powertrain, which also allows designers more physical room to create an open, relaxing space with a minimalist aesthetic called the Lincoln Sanctuary. Expect the panoramic “coast-to-coast display” from the Zephyr Reflection concept to make an appearance — tying into the strong horizontal theme of the cabin and exterior designs — as well as the debut of a new Constellation digital design language for the infotainment and gauges featuring mood-based themes showcasing the night sky.
“As we accelerate Lincoln’s transformation in North America and China, there is no better time to propel the Lincoln brand forward with electrification,” said Joy Falotico, president of Lincoln. “Electrification will take Quiet Flight to a new level with the smooth, exhilarating take-off feel and serene quietness our clients expect from a Lincoln.”
Purpose-built EVs are quite space efficient, a trait Lincoln hopes to emphasize with its Sanctuary interior design
Lincoln
Lincoln also announced that it will be introducing the Lincoln Charging Network — a partnership with EV charging infrastructure providers like Electrify America — that EV owners will be able to access via an update coming to the Lincoln Way mobile app.
Lincoln’s upcoming push for electrification comes as part of the Ford Plus Plan, Ford Motor Company’s $30 billion wave of investment in electrification over the next five years. Lincoln estimates that by the middle of this decade (around 2026 or so), more than half of the brand’s global sales will be zero-emissions vehicles and, by 2030, every model wearing a Lincoln badge in the US and China will be powered by an electrified powertrain — whether that be a full EV or hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains like those found in the new Aviator and Corsair.
Source: Electric - cnet.com
