If there’s one word that describes the way Ford Motor Company handled product development this decade, it’s inconsistency. The automaker has alternated between aggressive electrification plans and sudden rollbacks, and the latest changes only add to that pattern. Just this week, Ford introduced a new corporate structure aimed at speeding up research and development. At the same time, EV CEO Doug Field revealed that he would be leaving his company in a few weeks, creating further uncertainty around the brand’s electric strategy.
Field’s exit might have gone unnoticed if not for an interesting detail: the header image on his LinkedIn profile. Image, first highlighted by a Ford Authority Readers, it appears to show a sleek, low-slung three-row crossover. This raises a reasonable question – could this be the fully electric three-row crossover that Ford is canceling in 2024? If so, then this may be the only glimpse of a program that reportedly cost the company $1.5 billion before it was ultimately cancelled.
The design aligns with previous executive comments. Speaking at Ford Capital Markets Day 2023, Field described the vehicle precisely. “As Jim said, we’re calling it a personal bullet train. It’s beautiful, and unlike anything in its segment so far. It’s affordable. It will be a longer, sleeker, quieter vehicle with incredible size and interior space features.” He added that the crossover will deliver up to 350 miles of range and regain 150 miles of range in less than 10 minutes of charging.
Visually, the vehicle appears to be designed for aerodynamic efficiency, with a smooth profile and flat rear fascia. These proportions indicate a model that is viable for production and not a mere conceptual model. Features like Pro Power Onboard and a front tailgate are likely part of the package, consistent with Ford’s EV ambitions at the time.
Previous statements from CEO Jim Farley further strengthened the relationship. By 2022, Farley emphasized that future electric vehicles will be very different from existing models. “You design the product in such a way that it’s really very advanced,” he said, noting that such a vehicle might not appeal to traditional Explorer buyers.
That statement is now considered ironic. The Ford Explorer continues to have strong sales, while the advanced EV intended to replace it never reached production. If Field’s profile picture truly depicts the canceled crossover, then it’s an artifact of Ford’s expensive and incomplete chapter of the electric transition.
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