Ford exec expects software to boost revenue for commercial trucks, vans


FILE PHOTO: A model of the Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup is parked in front of the Ford Motor Company World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. April 26, 2022. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo

(Reuters) - Ford Motor expects to incorporate more and better software into the trucks and vans in its highly profitable Ford Pro commercial vehicle business and grow revenues by $4,000-$5,000 per vehicle in the future, a top executive said on Thursday.

Navin Kumar, chief financial officer of Ford Pro, said the automaker would look to boost revenue with software- and data-driven fleet services, safety and security services, partial vehicle autonomy and insurance.

Kumar, speaking at a J.P. Morgan investor conference, did not give a percentage forecast for revenue or profit margin growth, but said Ford’s ability to deliver and profit from those services will be enhanced in the middle of this decade when the company introduces its next-generation electric commercial vehicles with a new digital “intelligence” platform.

That new platform will help Ford Pro meet some ambitious 2026 targets, he said, including doubling the percentage of connected vehicles to about 60% and tripling the percentage of vehicles with paid software to about 36%.

Ford Pro will continue to offer a full portfolio of combustion engine, hybrid electric and full electric vehicles, Kumar said.

Its second-generation EVs, including the successor to the F-150 Lightning pickup, will be more profitable, in terms of their ability to generation additional software and services revenue.

Kumar said the current F-150 Lightning was not “cost optimized,” but declined to say whether it was profitable.

He said Ford Pro expects to boost its commercial vehicle business in Europe with the arrival this fall of a new Transit Custom van and the introduction next year of electric versions of the Transit Courier and Transit Custom.

(This story has been corrected to change the timeline from 2026 to "in the future", at Ford's request, in paragraph 1)

(Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit; Editing by David Gregorio)

   

Next In Tech News

Analysis-Lilium's fall throws spotlight on air-taxi cash crunch
AI analytics firm Pyramid Analytics secures $50 million from BlackRock
Google's US antitrust trial over online ad empire draws to a close
Corning offers to waive exclusive deals in EU antitrust probe, may stave off fine
US finalizes awards to BAE Systems, Rocket Lab for semiconductor chips
Social media sites call for Australia to delay its ban on children younger than 16
Study: New coating can make China’s stealth aircraft invisible to anti-stealth radar
Apple chief returns to China as Beijing prepares to fete CEOs
Meet the San Francisco billionaire who paid US$6.2mil for a single banana
Shazam rides high, reaching 100 billion song recognitions

Others Also Read