Important Innovations

  Customers Order Fully Electric Pickup and SUV in Droves                                                  Source:  Rivian Michigan Based EV Startup Rivian Before Michigan startup Rivian offered the first edition of its electric pickup truck to the public, it sold out of all of its order reservation spots.  The bidding for the first editions of the R1T e-pickup truck and R1S e-SUV were offered first to people who had put down a $1,000 deposit in the past two years.  The vehicles sold out within a week.  Rivian calls it their Launch Edition.  The R1T will be delivered to customers in June 2021.  The R1S SUV will be delivered in August 2021. Pre-Ordering for January 2022 Deliveries Opens Today Rivian is now offering pre-order access to the public on their Adventure and Explore packages which include all-glass roofs and WIFI with 4G capability.  Those orders won't be delivered to customers until January 2022.  The Launch Edition is the only model that Rivian will produce between June

Electric Ford F-150 Pickup Source:  Ford F-series Electric Truck Prototype Assembled in Michigan for 2021 Ford is investing in electric vehicles in a very big way.  A few weeks ago, it unveiled to rave review the Ford Mustang all-electric SUV, the Mach-E.  Today, Ford made good on a promise to electrify its highly popular F-150 pickup truck and to do so in its Michigan assembly plants with production likely in 2021. UAW Contract As part of its 4 year agreement with the UAW ratified in November 2019, Ford is pouring $6 billion into US plants for the production of electric and hybrid versions of the F-150 pickup along with autonomous vehicles and other products.  Ford is also adding nearly 3,000 jobs to its Michigan workforce. 2021 Big Year For Ford, the first autonomous vehicles will be completed in Michigan starting in 2021.  The fully electric F-150 pickup will come shortly after that.  This is part of Ford's $11.5 billion investment toward global electrified vehic