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A $155-a-month lease: How did Ford make the Ranger EV so affordable?
Introduced by Ford between 1998 and 2002, the Ranger EV was the company's first all-electric production model, and the battery-powered compact pickup truck remains active in the owner community today. As environmental awareness increases, how does Ford make the Ranger EV so affordable through reasonable leasing strategies?
The birth of electric vehicles
The Ranger EV is based on the Ford Explorer's light truck chassis and is equipped with sodium nickel metal hydride (NiMH) or lead-acid batteries. The maximum retail price is US$52,720, but through Ford's credit support and government subsidies, the monthly rent is as low as US$155, attracting a large number of users.
Not only does Ford's three-year lease make the Ranger EV affordable, it's also backed by AQMD and federal tax credits, resulting in a total lease cost of zero for some agencies.
The combination of environmental protection and economy
In California, many agencies choose to rent Ranger EV, which allows them to obtain the California Clean Air Vehicle label, allowing them to freely enter the carpool lane during peak hours, which greatly enhances the market appeal of Ranger EV. These measures make Ranger EV an economical and environmentally friendly choice for corporate operations.
Design and performance
The appearance of the Ranger EV is almost the same as that of the traditional gasoline version, with key features including the missing exhaust pipe and dedicated charging port. In the interior design, the instrument panel is used to display battery status and energy usage to improve the driver's experience of using the electric vehicle.
Indicators showing the charging status and remaining range can be seen on the instrument panel. This design allows the driver to better control the power of the electric pickup truck.
Early Issues and Improvements
Although the Ranger EV faced some technical challenges in the early days, such as being unable to charge properly in high-temperature environments, Ford quickly adjusted and improved these issues. In addition, the performance of lead-acid batteries in cold climates is also critical, requiring vehicles to require additional battery heating systems to maintain performance.
End of production and future prospects
As the market demand for electric vehicles increases, Ford has not yet announced the resumption of production of the Ranger EV. However, the design concept and business model of this car provide valuable experience for future electric models. In recent years, Ford has also carried out a number of electrification plans, such as the launch of the electric Transit Connect, and continues to explore the possibilities of the electric vehicle market.
Then,
Faced with rising oil and gas prices and increasingly severe environmental challenges, what changes will the electric vehicle market see in the future?
