Ford has sparked excitement and speculation with an intriguing trademark filing amid rumors of a new electric pickup.
In early August, Ford filed a request to trademark the word Ranchero, hearkening back to one of the automaker’s most iconic models, Ford Authority reported.
In its filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Ford sought to trademark the Ranchero moniker when referring to “pick-up trucks; electric cars; electric vehicles,” per Ford Authority.
In response, the world of Ford fanatics and EV enthusiasts has been wild with speculation about the potential for a new all-electric pickup, which is expected to join the company’s 2027 model line.
The Ranchero nameplate harkens back to the iconic car-based pickup that Ford sold from the 1950s through the 1970s. The vehicle was unique in that it boasted a pickup-truck-style bed but was built on a station wagon platform, making it more car-like.
“Launched in 1957, the original Ranchero blurred the lines between car and truck, offering the comfort and style of a sedan with the practicality of a pickup bed,” Gizmodo stated. “It quickly found a following among farmers, tradespeople, and California surfers alike.”
Ford is in the midst of what the company has called a “Model T moment,” referring to the legendary vehicle that was the first mass-produced, widely affordable car.
On Aug. 11, Farley announced that Ford would be investing billions of dollars in a new EV platform to produce low-cost electric vehicles across several model types, per the Detroit Free Press.
“Now Ford is going back to its roots for another Model T moment,” the company wrote in a blog post.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the transportation sector is the largest source of planet-heating pollution in the U.S., accounting for more than a quarter of all such pollution.
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As a result, electric vehicles have an important role to play in reducing the amount of heat-trapping pollution entering the atmosphere and reversing the trend of rising global temperatures.
Unlike gas-powered cars, EVs during operation do not emit planet-heating carbon dioxide or health-harming carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter.
This makes electric vehicles a win for both public health and the environment.
Even when charged off an average U.S. power grid, EVs are responsible for an average of 200 grams of carbon air pollution per mile compared to 350 grams per mile for gas-powered vehicles, an MIT study found.
“We shouldn’t claim victory that with this switch to electric cars, problem solved, we are going to have zero emissions,” Sergey Paltsev of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said. “No, that’s not the case. But electric cars are actually much, much better in terms of the impact on the climate in comparison to internal combustion vehicles. And in time, that comparative advantage of electric cars is going to grow.”
Additionally, driving an EV can save significant amounts of money on fuel costs. The Department of Energy has estimated that driving an EV instead of a gas-powered vehicle can save up to $2,200 every single year.
Charging an EV from home solar increases the environmental, public health, and cost savings of driving an EV. It is cheaper than charging off the grid or at a public charging station, plus you have the added benefit of knowing that your car is being powered by cleaner, renewable energy from the sun.
With federal tax credits for home solar ending Dec. 31, and tax credits for EVs ending Sept. 30, the time to act is now.
EnergySage offers free tools that make it easy to compare quotes among vetted local installers while making sure that you take maximum advantage of tax credits and other incentives, saving up to $10,000. With the average solar project taking about 12 weeks to complete, it is important to act quickly.
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