Ford unveils new F-Sequence Tremendous Responsibility vehicles

DETROIT – Ford Motor is redesigning a pivotal product lineup, leaning on new software program and linked information metrics, to spice up income in its business car enterprise.

The Detroit automaker on Tuesday revealed its 2023 F-Sequence Tremendous Responsibility vehicles, a lineup of autos starting from giant pickups to business vehicles and chassis cabs which can be used for emergency response, towing and plowing, and building or utility work.

associated investing information

We’re making two more buys in this volatile and very oversold market

The autos – a part of Ford’s best-selling F-Series truck lineup – are high-margin, key to retaining recurring fleet clients and a serious a part of Ford’s plans to grow its commercial business.

“These are massively vital. Tremendous Responsibility is the dimensions of income of Southwest Airways, Marriott or Nordstrom. It is a massive a part of the enterprise,” Ted Cannis, CEO of Ford Professional, instructed CNBC. “And now we’re bringing them into the digital age.”

Cannis declined to reveal income for Ford’s Tremendous Responsibility lineup, however Southwest, Marriott and Nordstrom most just lately reported annual revenues of between $14 billion and $16 billion. Ford reported greater than $136 billion in complete income in 2021.

Tremendous Responsibility vehicles have greater than 50% market share in utility, mining, building and emergency response autos, in response to Ford, citing information from S&P International Mobility.

The designs of the brand new vehicles are notably totally different on the outside, that includes redesigned C-clamp lights and bigger grilles. However an important adjustments for Ford cannot be seen by the bare eye, together with new electrical architectures, or brains, of the autos. The updates will give Ford the power to introduce new software program, information telematics and fleet administration instruments, Cannis stated.

The software program instruments will assist companies observe upkeep wants, car areas, driver behaviors, wasted idle time and different metrics. Fleet operators can also set operation instances that might forestall the autos from beginning outdoors of permitted instances.

Such providers are seen as main alternatives for Ford to create recurring revenue all through the lifecycles of the autos – one thing automakers similar to Ford have been unable to realize past common upkeep and repairs by means of franchised sellers.

The mission of Ford Professional is to behave as a one-stop store for autos in addition to the software program administration that corporations use to observe them, Cannis stated, laying the groundwork for subscription-based companies and extra recurring income alternatives for Ford which have traditionally been the area of third-party corporations.

The linked options are powered by embedded 5G connectivity – a primary for pickups within the U.S — using AT&T service and a Qualcomm modem.

“We’re centered on maximizing productiveness, maximizing the underside line for companies of all sizes,” Raj Sarkar, Ford Professional basic supervisor of product advertising and technique, stated throughout a media briefing.  

Ford Professional is one among three principal enterprise areas for the corporate underneath CEO Jim Farley’s Ford+ restructuring plan, which targets development and worth creation in all three segments within the years to come back.

The Tremendous Responsibility vehicles additionally function new interiors in addition to different trailering and towing updates – each key to house owners of bigger vehicles. The brand new options embody trailer navigation, which plots routes that may be safely navigated with given trailer dimensions and weight to keep away from potential points with low bridges and tight turns, in addition to a second backup digicam that can be utilized when the tailgate of a truck is down.

Although Ford is investing billions in electrical autos, the brand new vehicles are powered by one among 4 V-8 gasoline or diesel engines. Massive vehicles similar to Ford’s Tremendous Responsibility are anticipated to proceed to be powered by conventional engines for the foreseeable future.

The 2023 F-Sequence Tremendous Responsibility is constructed at Ford meeting vegetation in Kentucky and Ohio. Pricing might be out there nearer to launch in early 2023. The beginning costs of the autos at the moment vary from about $40,000 to almost $100,000.

Ford unveiled its new Tremendous Responsibility merchandise a day after crosstown rival, General Motors, introduced updates to its 2024 Chevrolet Heavy-Responsibility pickup that’s anticipated to enter manufacturing the primary half of subsequent yr.