Ford’s development on EVs and a Mustang crossover

Darren Palmer has been with Ford for 28 years, and has played a big role as lead for the development of the next-generation Mustang. In early 2018, he was asked to lead product development for a brand-new group called Ford Team Edison, focusing exclusively on electric vehicles for Ford and Lincoln. If you remember, earlier this year, Ford announced the end of majority of their passenger car lineup, with development continuing on crossovers, SUVs, and electric platforms only. It also just so happens that they’ve been working on a Mustang-inspired electric crossover, and that is very interesting.

Despite being a Mustang enthusiast, he and his team found out that, while electric vehicles are completely different, it can also be exciting. The new challenges, the higher stakes, and the chance to set the future for Ford is what pushes Ford Team Edison. Palmer has travelled and worked around the world, in places like Germany, India, China, South America, and his home, the United Kingdom. All this exposure to culture and trends has helped his team leverage global experience.

With the electric vehicle market growing exponentially, and each individual market posing unique challenges, there’s a huge opportunity to bring forward a portfolio of electrified vehicles from Ford. Ford has invested 11 billion USD to bring 16 fully electric vehicles within a complete lineup of 40 electrified vehicles by 2022, with Ford Team Edison spearheading the entire effort. Ford Team Edison also has a collaborative working environment, where offices are open and everyone is more approachable, a big departure from the norm.

The team is cross-functional, and on any given day you can find yourself sitting next to someone working to market our electric vehicles, someone looking at the profit potential of our electric vehicles, or be on a coffee break with someone involved in our charging strategy.

Darren Palmer
Ford Team Edison Global Product Development Director

There’s also a human-centric approach to how things are done. Sine there isn’t a lot of historical data to look at for electric vehicles, work is always shifting, and listening more than ever to what customers want and how they evolve is a huge part of the future. Ford Team Edison is committed to delivering not just vehicles, but an entire electric ecosystem that works flawlessly.

We’re excited to see how Ford helps shape an electric future for passenger vehicles, and with product portfolios taking shape around the world, we sincerely hope we get a piece of the global EV pie. With so many local initiatives by the private and government sector to promote and educate the people about its advantages, we’re excited that more manufacturers are helping us shape the future of mobility in the Philippines.

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