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Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

cnn.com

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Re: Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

#21

Post by starttoaster »

soperj wrote: post #19
m463 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I keep on reading that electric vehicles require less maintenance, but they still require some maintenance, and lots of things continue to break. how much maintenance does a honda ice car really require? Most of them run flawlessly for years and years, almost without opening the hood at all. I wonder how the numbers break down?

You seriously don't change the oil?

I could be mistaken, but I think they're mostly not counting a procedure that basically amounts to loosening up a bolt that makes oil come out the bottom, tightening it back up again, and then adding new oil from the top side. I think the kind of maintenance they're thinking of is more like "replace the serpentine belt."

Re: Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

#22

Post by NikolaNovak »

m463 wrote: post #15
criddell wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how the switch to electric is going to impact Ford dealers? From what I've read they need to (re)train their mechanics and buy a bunch of new equipment and then also deal with the fact that electric vehicles require less maintenance.

I keep on reading that electric vehicles require less maintenance, but they still require some maintenance, and lots of things continue to break. how much maintenance does a honda ice car really require? Most of them run flawlessly for years and years, almost without opening the hood at all. I wonder how the numbers break down?

It's weird.

Two decades ago I had a 2004 subaru that needed nothing first years.

Then We got a 2015 Toyota rav 4 and every maintenance there was some up sell. Change a filter check the brakes resurface rotors change the atf or differential oil etc. We actually got into a dispute with dealer after third consecutive $300brakes maintenance.

Thought maybe that was lemon car or bad dealer but now we have a honda odyssey and same thing. My bill last week was $900 for a car that nothing was wrong with, just "regular maintenance".

Due to our schedules my wife usually takes the car in ; I can see the bill is inflated in terms of labour and parts but I already know they'll tell me that's the book value.

So for today's ice cars, they do get a lot of revenue from regular maintenance and may even be more profitable for them than actual fixes.

I wonder about Ev - do they not have brakes, Cv joints, bearings, differentials (I know there's no transmission), et cetera?

Re: Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

#23

Post by wccrawford »

JimtheCoder wrote: post #5
BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #2

They're laying off workers whose skillsets are specific to making vehicles with combustion engines and hiring workers specific to making vehicles with electric motors.

Sometimes, I wish headlines would be a bit more specific. "Workers" to me implies assembly line workers, whereas the actual layoffs are mostly engineers. I have never really heard anyone call engineers, "Workers"...

"Workers" doesn't even mean non-managers any more... It's just all employees. The word has lost a lot of nuance.

Re: Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

#24

Post by jupp0r »

gonzo41 wrote: post #12
BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #2

They're laying off workers whose skillsets are specific to making vehicles with combustion engines and hiring workers specific to making vehicles with electric motors.

It's sad that they don't have some sort of retraining for these people.

> Ford has previously said it is also hiring in some areas, so it’s not clear if these layoffs will result in an overall reduction in Ford’s workforce in the United States or Canada.

This might mean that they are eliminating positions, but are possibly filling new ones with the laid off employees where appropriate.

Re: Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

#25

Post by pengaru »

m463 wrote: post #15
criddell wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how the switch to electric is going to impact Ford dealers? From what I've read they need to (re)train their mechanics and buy a bunch of new equipment and then also deal with the fact that electric vehicles require less maintenance.

I keep on reading that electric vehicles require less maintenance, but they still require some maintenance, and lots of things continue to break. how much maintenance does a honda ice car really require? Most of them run flawlessly for years and years, almost without opening the hood at all. I wonder how the numbers break down?

If Tesla is any indication, they'll be chock full of unnecessary complex gimmicks that will constantly break and need servicing.

I once helped someone with a flat tire in a Model S who had zip ties dangling from every door handle. The "present mechanism" had failed in every door, look it up, it's a known problem of wire fatigue caused by the present mechanism's repetitive movement breaking the door handle.

Imagine owning a Model X at 150,000 miles. I watched kids have to crawl under the rear "gullwing" door of a fresh one last month. It refused to open beyond a small gap, despite there being no obstructions. Impatient parent in the driver's seat just shouted in frustration for them to crawl in after throwing his hands up at the steering wheel.

Trash needs lots of maintenance to keep on the road... those things are like Homer Simpson mobiles.

Re: Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

#26

Post by grugagag »

criddell wrote: post #4
BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #2

They're laying off workers whose skillsets are specific to making vehicles with combustion engines and hiring workers specific to making vehicles with electric motors.

I wonder how the switch to electric is going to impact Ford dealers? From what I've read they need to (re)train their mechanics and buy a bunch of new equipment and then also deal with the fact that electric vehicles require less maintenance.

Maybe the whole dealership ‘model’ is to change too?

Re: Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

#27

Post by pengaru »

starttoaster wrote: post #21
soperj wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You seriously don't change the oil?

I could be mistaken, but I think they're mostly not counting a procedure that basically amounts to loosening up a bolt that makes oil come out the bottom, tightening it back up again, and then adding new oil from the top side. I think the kind of maintenance they're thinking of is more like "replace the serpentine belt."

Timing belt is a big one for ICEs, valve adjustment if it's something racy.

There's also just so many moving parts there's far more opportunity for engine failures, especially in the face of neglect/deferred maintenance. I don't think there's an EV equivalent for needing an engine rebuild/replace because you ignored the timing belt for too long on an interference motor.

It's worse on newer ICEs that have to meet modern fuel economy and emissions standards too. Very high compression-ratios have become commonplace, making the consequences for neglect much more severe. You'd be hard-pressed to find a non-interference design in something modern. And turbo motors are much harder on their oil... Newer ICEs are tantamount to yesteryears high-strung race engines, too bad the chassis are so heavy.

Re: Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

#28

Post by jayd16 »

m463 wrote: post #15
criddell wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how the switch to electric is going to impact Ford dealers? From what I've read they need to (re)train their mechanics and buy a bunch of new equipment and then also deal with the fact that electric vehicles require less maintenance.

I keep on reading that electric vehicles require less maintenance, but they still require some maintenance, and lots of things continue to break. how much maintenance does a honda ice car really require? Most of them run flawlessly for years and years, almost without opening the hood at all. I wonder how the numbers break down?

Fans, belts, radiator, oil, (ironically) battery, (oil, fuel and intake) filters are eliminated.

Bulbs, tires, alignment, washer fluid, cabin filters, and brake pads remain.

Re: Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

#29

Post by danans »

NikolaNovak wrote: post #22
m463 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I keep on reading that electric vehicles require less maintenance, but they still require some maintenance, and lots of things continue to break. how much maintenance does a honda ice car really require? Most of them run flawlessly for years and years, almost without opening the hood at all. I wonder how the numbers break down?

It's weird. Two decades ago I had a 2004 subaru that needed nothing first years. Then We got a 2015 Toyota rav 4 and every maintenance there was some up sell. Change a filter check the brakes resurface rotors change the atf or differential oil etc. We actually got into a dispute with dealer after third consecutive $300brakes maintenance. Thought maybe that was lemon car or bad dealer but now we have a honda odyssey a…

>U wonder about Ev - do they not have brakes, Cv joints, bearings, differentials (I know there's no transmission), et cetera?

They have all those, but at least for brakes, they last much longer due to regen braking.

Re: Ford to lay off workers as it focuses on electric vehicles

#30

Post by ruffrey »

Mizoguchi wrote: post #14
criddell wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how the switch to electric is going to impact Ford dealers? From what I've read they need to (re)train their mechanics and buy a bunch of new equipment and then also deal with the fact that electric vehicles require less maintenance.

Dealers will slowly fade away as online car shopping becomes more common. Volvo for example is aiming at 2030 as the year they turn 100% online. It's reasonable to assume all other car makers will do the same. There's absolutely no reason to buy from a dealer in today's world, that's like when in the 80s and early 90s you needed a middleman to buy a computer.

How do you test drive a car for an online dealer? Do they drive to your home and let you take it for a spin?
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