Ford already made it known that it is betting on two main areas: the extremely profitable line of trucks and SUVs and a strong investment in more advanced mobility solutions such as connected cars and smart cities. But the automaker made it official, as it announced on Wednesday that it would abandon all its traditional sedans and hatchbacks for the North American market.
In its quarterly earnings call, Ford CEO Jim Hackett said the company would offer only the Mustang and new Focus (in active trim similar to SUVs) in North America sometime in the near future, after that the current cycle of the product decreases. This effectively kills the Fiesta and Fusion ranges, while the new Focus arrives sometime next year, probably from a plant in China. Focus and current Taurus sedans should expire this year as well.
Ford has to monitor its fuel economy averages. Hackett confirmed that the 2020 Bronco SUV, which will share components with the 2019 Ranger pickup, would get a hybrid version. The Bronco will compete with Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner. Jeep added a smooth 48-volt hybrid system to 2018 Wrangler, but it's not clear if Bronco will get a similar hybrid system or similar system. The hybrid versions of F-150, Escape, Explorer and Mustang have been previously announced.
However, Ford is now leaving its sedan business with losses, however, the company could be in a better route to invest in new technologies. It has already made more investments in its mobility services this year, and has invested in its concept of "smart city" in the long term.
Ford reported its first-quarter net income for the year at $ 1.7 billion, an increase of 9 percent year-over-year. However, its mobility division reported losses of $ 102 million for the quarter, which the company attributed to an investment of $ 58 million.