Ford announced it was making a $500 (£388 / €453) million investment in Rivian earlier this year and would get an electric vehicle based on their skateboard platform in return.
Speculation initially suggested the model would be a pickup like the Rivian R1T, but Ford CEO Jim Hackett later downplayed that possibility.
Fast forward to today and Reuters says the mysterious model is a new Lincoln crossover. Citing several people familiar with the program, the publication says the crossover will be launched in mid-2022 and be offered with all-wheel drive.
Also Read: Ford Teams Up With Rivian For New Battery Electric Model
Little is known about the crossover at this point, but it’s reportedly codenamed the U787. Both companies declined to comment on the report, but the model is rumored to be one of three electric crossovers headed to Lincoln dealerships in the next four years.
The first will reportedly be a compact crossover that will arrive in late 2021 or early 2022. Little is known about the model, but the timing is interesting as Ford has previously said the Mustang Mach-E GT will arrive in 2021. Given that Lincoln and Ford models are closely related, we wouldn’t be surprised if this crossover is a restyled and more luxurious version of the Mach-E.
Regardless of when the compact crossover is launched, it will reportedly be joined by a mid-sized electric crossover in 2023. This suggests the Rivian-based 2022 model will be a large crossover as it would allow Lincoln to cover the compact, mid-size and large segments without overlap.
Of course, that remains unconfirmed and we likely won’t hear much about the model for a few more years.
