Ford and Rivian Inc. no longer plan to work jointly on electric vehicles, the carmaker said, as both companies undertake other energy projects.
Both companies had announced their partnership in January 2018, focusing on a product known as the R1T, a compact, two-seater hybrid, electric SUV expected to be priced around $35,000 and made by Ford in Melrose Park, Ill.
Ford said it would fund research on a new vehicle that would be based on the R1T and feature a range of between 300 and 400 miles.
A Rivian spokesperson told The Washington Post this week that the company has not yet started development of any vehicle and is now “committed to Tesla’s Model 3 with about 100 miles of range and is exploring other technologies, with electric vehicles being at the forefront.”
Neither Ford nor Rivian offered any information on when a new vehicle would be available or what it might look like.
Over the last few months, Ford CEO Jim Hackett has announced a series of actions, including streamlining its production process to reduce complexity and designing cars that get enough miles per gallon to get consumers excited.