As the brand reinvents itself to focus on electric vehicles, Ford Motor Company plans to launch four new electric vehicles into its Lincoln lineup by 2026.
The new vehicles were unveiled on Wednesday, April 20, together with the Lincoln Star, a new concept electric vehicle. It was said that the concept represents the brand's first foray into modern design and technology, as reported by CNBC.
Ford's Lincoln Star Concept - How Does It Look?
Lincoln, like nearly every other luxury brand, is aiming for a completely electric future, and its latest concept car gives us a glimpse of what's to come. According to CNET, the Lincoln Star is an electric luxury SUV that debuts the brand's new "Quiet Flight" design language, which will be seen on three production electric vehicles by 2025.
The Star, as per Engadget, is more streamlined than Lincoln's current lineup, with light-up exterior features and doors.
Electrochromatic glass covers the front trunk, which turns transparent while moving. To enable more natural light, the A-pillars (at the front) and D-pillars (in the back) are made of 3D-printed metal.
The Star includes three "rejuvenation modes" that use sight, sound, and scent to transform the vehicle into an immersive digital sanctuary.
"Coastal Morning mixes sounds of the ocean with the smell of sea mist and dynamic lighting that mimics a walk along the beach at sunrise, Mindful Vitality uses uptempo music with flowery perfume and soft lighting, and Evening Chill pairs an evergreen scent with videos of the night sky and calming sounds," CNET's report read.
On the other hand, The Verge pointed out that Lincoln isn't disclosing any details regarding Star's powertrain, battery, range, or charging as it's only a concept.
Lincoln aims to release four electric vehicles by 2026, and it expects electric-only models to account for more than half of its sales by the middle of the decade, with that percentage only increasing from there.
Will the Company Concentrate on the Markets of the U.S. or China?
TechCrunch mentioned that in reality, Lincoln's growth market is China, not the U.S.. If Lincoln does produce a battery-electric grand touring sedan, it will almost certainly be for the Chinese market rather than the U.S..
Joy Falotico, president at Lincoln, claimed that China is the key to the company's future growth. It was noted that currently, Lincoln sells more vehicles in China than it does in the U.S..
Outside of its huge Navigator SUV, Lincoln has struggled to acquire traction in the U.S. in recent years. In 2019, the brand's sales peaked at around 112,000 units. Last year, sales fell to around 87,000 vehicles due to supply chain issues, as per the report of CNBC.
Lincoln announced the Zephyr in the spring of 2021, a sedan that will be made and sold solely in China. Since the announcement, the brand claims to have received over 5,600 preorders for the car. The company also said, according to the report of TechCrunch, that the Lincoln Corsair (a crossover that is also available in the U.S.) has been the top-selling nameplate in China for the past 23 months.
