There have been plenty of complaints about electric vehicles. The loss of range in winter, the lack of heating—unless you accept even further reduced range—in winter, the massive expense that is replacing a vehicle battery, and more. But legacy automaker Ford (F) may have one less thing to complain about: chassis durability. Ford shares gained fractionally on the news that Ford electric vehicles (EVs) models may soon have much tougher frames than before.
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A report from Ford Authority noted that CATL, the biggest producer of electric vehicle batteries around, has managed to produce a new, high-end chassis that is “far safer than existing architecture.” The new platform is known as “Panshi,” or “Bedrock.” The Bedrock system combines many of the common infrastructure elements of an electric vehicle—motors, batteries, controllers et al—into a single unit.
That combination produces a surprisingly resilient frame which can, according to reports, absorb a 75 mile per hour frontal impact, and with no risk of fire or explosion as a result. It was originally designed for premium brands looking to cut costs, and further reports note that with the Bedrock system, development costs on new models can go from “multiple billions” down to just “$10 million.”
A Major Auction Win
Ford’s gas-powered line of vehicles comes with a great deal of history behind it, and as Motor Authority notes, sometimes a chance to own a bit of that history comes up. An original Ford GT40 Mk 1 will be making its way to an auction in Kissimmee, Florida in mid-January.
The GT40 Mk 1 in question is from 1966, and has chassis number P / 1034. It is one of 31 such vehicles out there, and is said to be the first model auctioned by a private owner, making it a very rare and unique piece of automotive history indeed. Across four different versions, the report noted, there were only around 105 total built.
Is Ford Stock a Good Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on F stock based on four Buys, eight Holds and three Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 14.18% loss in its share price over the past year, the average F price target of $10.89 per share implies 8.9% upside potential.
