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View Full Version : Ford Negotiates $500M Equity Deal With Rivian Automotive



68fastback
04-24-2019, 06:05 PM
This could be big!

While GM and Amazon have both been trying to get a piece of Rivian Automotive, it was Ford that turned up with the deal because of it's long-standing (well before all other automakers) commitment to sustainability (Ford's factories are world leaders in industrial sustainability).

Their 180Kw 'skateboard' LiIon battery pack is capable of 400 miles range and propelling a
F150-sized pick-up 0-60 in under 4 seconds :yes: Ford to actually build Rivian's high-performance truck, subject to regulatory approvals, etc. Rivian was featured in the latest C&D


Here's Forbes' take on Rivian (https://www.forbes.com/sites/chucktannert/2019/02/08/meet-rj-scaringe-founder-of-rivian-automotiveand-teslas-worst-nightmare/#78cd39a57113)from February.

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Rivian Announces $500 Million Investment from Ford; Partnership to Deliver All-New Ford Battery Electric Vehicle

Apr 24, 2019 | DEARBORN, Mich (https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2019/04/24/rivian-500-million-investment-ford.html#)


- Ford and Rivian form strategic partnership through $500 million minority investment



- Ford to build all-new battery electric vehicle using Rivian’s flexible skateboard platform



- The investment is subject to customary regulatory approval; Ford’s Joe Hinrichs to join Rivian’s board of directors


DEARBORN, Mich., April 24, 2019 – Rivian today announced an equity investment of $500 million from Ford Motor Company. In addition to the investment, the companies have agreed to work together to develop an all-new, next-generation battery electric vehicle for Ford’s growing EV portfolio using Rivian’s skateboard platform.


“This strategic partnership marks another key milestone in our drive to accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility,” said RJ Scaringe, Rivian founder and CEO. “Ford has a long-standing commitment to sustainability, with Bill Ford being one of the industry's earliest advocates, and we are excited to use our technology to get more electric vehicles on the road.”


“We are excited to invest in and partner with Rivian,” said Bill Ford, Ford’s executive chairman.


“I have gotten to know and respect RJ, and we share a common goal to create a sustainable future for our industry through innovation.”


Rivian already has developed two clean-sheet vehicles with adventurers at the core of every design and engineering decision. The company’s launch products – the five-passenger R1T pickup and seven-passenger R1S SUV – will deliver up to 400-plus miles of range and provide an unmatched combination of performance, off-road capability and utility, starting in late 2020.


“As we continue in our transformation of Ford with new forms of intelligent vehicles and propulsion, this partnership with Rivian brings a fresh approach to both,” said Jim Hackett, Ford president and CEO. “At the same time, we believe Rivian can benefit from Ford’s industrial expertise and resources.”


Ford intends to develop a new vehicle using Rivian’s flexible skateboard platform. This is in addition to Ford’s existing plans to develop a portfolio of battery electric vehicles. As part of its previously announced $11 billion EV investment, Ford already has confirmed two key fully electric vehicles: a Mustang-inspired crossover coming in 2020 and a zero-emissions version of the best-selling F-150 pickup.


Rivian remains an independent company. The investment is subject to customary regulatory approval. Following Ford’s investment, Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of Automotive, will join Rivian’s seven-member board.


Leaders from both companies are hosting a conference call today at 8:30 a.m. ET.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 199,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com (http://www.corporate.ford.com/).




About Rivian

Rivian is developing vehicles, technology and services that inspire people to get out and explore the world. Rivian has development centers in Plymouth, Mich.; San Jose, Calif.; Irvine, Calif.; and Surrey, England; along with a 2.6-million-square-foot manufacturing plant in Normal, Ill. Rivian will launch the R1T and R1S in the U.S. in late 2020, with introduction to other global geographies starting in 2021. Rivian is now accepting preorders on its R1T and R1S. More information is available at www.rivian.com (https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2376945-1&h=1532855443&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rivian.com%2F&a=www.rivian.com).

Alloy Dave
04-24-2019, 10:16 PM
I still can't get to liking battery vehicles. Heavy, and what to do with all the toxic waste when they're done. Still hoping for fuel cells but it seems that's a step beyond.

onecrazydog
04-24-2019, 10:39 PM
Lithium mine,

24487

Oil pump,

24488

68fastback
04-25-2019, 12:43 AM
I was reading an article recently from Germany that with typical battery life, production processes and Germany's actual power generation mix (which is only marginally cleaner than ours) a "zero emissions rated" li-ion battery-electric vehicle will pollute, womb to tomb, 4-5 times as much as a fossil fuel diesel vehicle.

I knew they polluted more over their life cycle but thought it was more like twice as much, not 4-5x as much :faint:

More mind-fuxing from the wonderful politicians of the world that think they can substitute government fiat for the exquisite balance of the competitive technology refinement chain. And artificially mandated change is always more disruptive, and therefore more costly over the lifecycle, than gradual change that proceeds at the rate competition drives a superior replacement technology, which almost always produces a better (and cheaper) product in the end.

Government mandates can speed things up but, if they ever actually studied the effect of such decisions, they would find that what is actually sped up is typically higher costs, lower quality, false-starts, churn and waste -- assuming they actually give a sh!t beyond the politics that drove the defective decisions in the first place. :shades:

68fastback
10-25-2019, 02:44 AM
Rivian gets real ...impressive performance too.

400+ or 700+ HP

0-60 sub-3 sec. 0-100 s 7-sec.

270-400 mile range for base and mid/hi-po battery packs)

Latest on the R1T (p/up truck) and R1S (SUV) at link below.

Job-1 next year. Pre-orders now. High $60Ks-mid 70s.

Ford variant on Rivian 4-motor 'skateboard' chassis coming soon after e-F150 and e-Mustang-based variant (next year?).

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/rivian-r1s-and-r1t-everything-we-know/ar-AAJhyb9?ocid=ientp

68fastback
01-29-2020, 09:02 PM
Lincoln Partners with Rivian to Deliver Lincoln's Firs All Electric Vehicle! (https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2020/01/29/lincoln-rivian-partner-all-electric-vehicle.html)

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2020/01/29/lincoln-rivian-partner-all-electric-vehicle.html

Very interesting strategy to position this under Lincoln -- Ford is financing Rivian to the tune of $500M. Especially interesting since the quite-similar Webasto skateboard electric technology going into Mustang Mach-E (first round of production is 100% pre-sold out) is so similar!

Sounds like Ford is directly pitting their Rivian technology partnership and their tier-one supplier's (Webasto) electrification technologies against each other in the marketplace -- albeit under two distinct corporate brands.

Competition is good!

68fastback
05-02-2020, 03:46 PM
The Ford-Rivian relationship clearly has gotten tighter.

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2020/05/01/alexandra-ford-english-to-join-rivians-board-of-directors.html

twobjshelbys
05-02-2020, 04:53 PM
The Ford-Rivian relationship clearly has gotten tighter.

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2020/05/01/alexandra-ford-english-to-join-rivians-board-of-directors.html

First step to a merger...

68fastback
05-02-2020, 11:07 PM
First step to a merger...

I was thinking similar but Ford is so much larger it would sort of have to be a buy-out. Ford is also using Webasto's new and excellent high-voltage technology in the Cobra Jet 1400, Mach-E and F150E (the latter both MY'21s, tho Corona could impact timing a bit) so I wonder if the purpose might be to actually own their own (Rivian) technology in the longer run ...which could be goodness -- or not -lol. Curious b/c GM also has high-voltage E-tech (eCopo Camaro is their flagship) but it's not as robust as Ford's or Rivian's (or Tesla's, for that matter) but GM actually was first to negotiate with Rivian and then backed out -- which seemed strange to me.

twobjshelbys
05-03-2020, 12:31 AM
I was thinking similar but Ford is so much larger it would sort of have to be a buy-out. Ford is also using Webasto's new and excellent high-voltage technology in the Cobra Jet 1400, Mach-E and F150E (the latter both MY'21s, tho Corona could impact timing a bit) so I wonder if the purpose might be to actually own their own (Rivian) technology in the longer run ...which could be goodness -- or not -lol. Curious b/c GM also has high-voltage E-tech (eCopo Camaro is their flagship) but it's not as robust as Ford's or Rivian's (or Tesla's, for that matter) but GM actually was first to negotiate with Rivian and then backed out -- which seemed strange to me.


Buyout is the same effect - they become part of Ford. They may even be a division since they have potential OEM business for others for their sleds... Ford won't want to lose the source to a higher bidder.

68fastback
05-03-2020, 02:25 AM
Buyout is the same effect - they become part of Ford. They may even be a division since they have potential OEM business for others for their sleds... Ford won't want to lose the source to a higher bidder.

Good thought ...esp as the whole electrification shakes out ...hard to know how the tech may morph an what other disruptors might surface.