Ford Motor Co F said on Tuesday it has launched a 3D, augmented reality app on smartphones to showcase its upcoming F-150 Lightning electric truck.
What Happened: The feature would introduce U.S. customers, fans and enthusiasts to the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker’s upcoming electric truck.
The augmented reality feature is available on both Android and iOS mobile devices and has been developed by Alphabet Inc’s GOOG GOOGL Google.
The automaker is taking the step to educate customers about the F-150 Lightning pickup truck and its capabilities ahead of the commercial launch.
“There is a tremendous amount of intrigue about what electric vehicles can do,” said Suzy Deering, chief marketing officer, Ford Motor Company.
“Nearly 80% of our F-150 Lightning reservation holders have never owned an all-electric vehicle before, so we created this campaign for them to understand and feel confident in their vehicle while also being excited to join in on the electric revolution with us.”
Why It Matters: The Lightning truck is the electric version of Ford’s best-selling and most profitable F-150 truck. Ford is banking on American customers' liking for the traditional F-150 trucks and replicate the same success with the electric version as well.
The Lightning would go on sale next year at a starting price of just under $40,000 for the base version with a 230-mile range.
Ford said the F-150 Lightning pickup has already secured over 160,000 potential reservations. The pickup is expected to compete with Amazon.com Inc AMZN-backed Rivian Automotive Inc.
Reservations are not final orders but, hypothetically, even half of those $100 fully-refundable bookings could fetch Ford significant volumes for the Lightning.
Price Action: Ford shares closed 0.15% lower at $20.12 a share on Tuesday.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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