Lincoln is building an electric SUV based on the Rivian platform.
It is now clear what Ford Motor's investment in Rivian bought.
On Wednesday, Lincoln confirmed that it will build an electric luxury crossover SUV on the Rivian skateboard EV platform.
Lincoln said its first fully electric model will be a crossover SUV that will join the Corsair, Aviator, and Navigator lineups, though the company did not say when. Earlier reports had indicated that the launch would be in 2022 or 2023.
The automaker emphasized that the electric vehicle models will feature the latest technology, including connectivity. This is consistent with Rivian's plans. Rivian is an emerging automaker that is developing a clean-sheet platform with advanced driver assistance features to lay the groundwork for future self-driving vehicles.
Rivian's EV platform is modular, allowing it to scale in size to meet Lincoln's needs. Whether Lincoln's Rivian-based SUV is the size of the Rivian R1S SUV or not, it could have the same 105 kwh, 135 kwh, and 180 kwh battery pack options and a range of 200 to 400 miles.
To date, Rivian has stated that the batteries are designed for fast charging up to 160 kwh, but that may change by the time Rivian and Lincoln are launched.
Ford is also developing its own electric pickup truck, the F-150, on a proprietary platform.
Last February, Amazon provided the bulk of its $700 million investment in Livian, and Amazon later ordered 100,000 electric vans from the startup. Ford's investment in Livian began last April with $500 million; just before the December vacations, Livian secured another $1.3 billion from Amazon, Ford, and investment management group BlackRock.