Skip to main content

Ford’s plan for Rivian-powered, electric Lincoln SUV canceled due to coronavirus

Ford’s plan to add an all-electric Rivian-powered SUV to its Lincoln model lineup has reportedly been canceled due to the coronavirus. 

The companies announced the decision to cancel the car’s production on Tuesday, April 28, Automotive News first reported. The electric SUV was supposed to be ready for release by 2022. 

Lincoln said it still plans to work with Rivian for a future EV based on Rivian’s skateboard platform.

“Given the current environment, Lincoln and Rivian have decided not to pursue the development of a fully electric vehicle based on Rivian’s skateboard platform. Ford Motor Company’s strategic commitment to Lincoln, Rivian and electrification remains unchanged and Lincoln’s future plans will include an all-electric vehicle consistent with its Quiet Flight DNA,” a Lincoln spokesperson told Digital Trends.

Digital Trends also reached out to Ford and Rivian to find out more details and we will update this story when we hear back. 

Earlier this month, Rivian announced that it would delay the debut of its much-anticipated electric pickup to 2021. 

The Lincoln SUV would have used Rivian tech, but was not the same vehicle as Rivian’s own EV truck. Plans for the Rivian R1S SUV were unaffected by the Lincoln cancellation.

Rivian R1S
Rivian R1S Rivian

While EVs have gained traction in the automotive world in the last few years, the coronavirus has posed a problem for environmentally friendly vehicles. 

For one thing, people aren’t purchasing cars right now due to fears over the economy and where it’s headed. Another reason EVs are declining in sales is that gas prices have become cheap with fewer people on the road and oil prices plummeting.

Many car manufacturers have also halted their work on new car production to help fight the spread of coronavirus instead. Tesla’s Buffalo, New York, gigafactory reportedly planned to reopen to produce ventilators. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Ford are also working to help create medical supplies in their factories to prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

Editors' Recommendations

Allison Matyus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning: America’s bestselling vehicle goes electric
Ford's F-150 Lightning pickup.

Electric cars are a powerful weapon against climate change, but most Americans don’t buy cars, they buy pickup trucks. The Ford F-150 has been the bestselling vehicle in the United States for decades, and now Ford is making it electric.

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning borrows its name from a performance version of the F-150 sold in the 1990s and early 2000s. Instead of chasing speed records, the reincarnated Lightning’s mission is to convince truck buyers that electric power is the future, as well as maintain Ford’s truck dominance in the face of competition from old rivals and new startups alike. It’s a hugely important vehicle for Ford -- and for the future of EVs.

Read more
President Biden drives Ford F-150 Lightning electric-truck prototype
president biden drives 2022 ford f 150 lightning electric pickup truck prototype visits rouge vehicle center

Ford isn't quite ready to reveal the 2022 F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck, but when the president of the United States wants a test drive, how do you say no?

President Joe Biden visited Ford's Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, the Detroit-area factory that will build the Lightning, yesterday and got behind the wheel of a camouflaged prototype of the new truck. He's likely the first person outside of Ford to drive the Lightning and gave it a positive review.

Read more
Volvo unveils the electric 2022 C40 Recharge with Android-powered in-car tech
Volvo C40 Recharge

Volvo has joined the chorus of carmakers going all-in on electric cars. It announced plans to pivot towards an EV-only range by 2030, and it introduced a battery-powered crossover named C40 Recharge to drive the point home.

As its name implies, the C40 Recharge is related to the XC40 Recharge under the body. And, if you're familiar with the Swedish firm's naming system, you'll recognize right away that the C prefix has historically denoted coupes and convertibles, such as the C30 and the C40. The C40 is not a coupe in the traditional sense of the term because it has four doors, but it wears a fastback-like roofline that underlines the company's seldom-seen emotional side. While Volvo thrives on rationality, it developed the C40 as the kind of car you buy with your heart, not with your mind.

Read more