The Ford 150 Lightning -- The Silent Canary in the Coal Mine

What:

The Ford F-series truck has been the best-selling truck in America for more than 40 years, and the best selling vehicle US for over 30 years. Think about that for a minute. There are many products, let alone cars or trucks, that can boast that kind of record. The Ford 150 is iconic and is a symbol of America.

Ford has decided to electrify this truck. While some companies might be afraid to mess with a recipe that works so well. I applaud Ford for taking a major leap forward by offering their best seller with a battery and electric motors. While they are not the first company to electrify a car, they are the first to take an iconic car and change it to battery electric. Kudos!

Why It Matters:

ABout 6/10 Americans believe that climate change is happening and that humans are contributing. When a major automaker, who is partly responsible for climate change, invests billions in a new technology meant to reduce our adherence to oil & gas, we should take note. This iconic vehicle will do more to convince people that they should and can take action towards mitigating climate change than probably any other policy or scientific data.

How does this fit into the larger trend:

Its important to give Tesla credit for launching the electric revolution, but the credit now goes to Ford who is changing the landscape for all major automakers. Now, every other major American automaker that does not offer a BEV, will be at a distinct disadvantage. This is great news for all Americans. As BEVs are better in every single conceivable ways - both for the planet and drivers.