I contend that the Aviator
I contend that the Aviator and Model X are indeed competitors. Not for all customers, but for most. I don't know when I have last seen a full sized SUV with something strapped on the roof, but even though some people like that feature, it is not a deal killer for many. Most of the big SUVs that I see are in my commute, and those aren't towing, or camping, or going off road, or packing items on their roof. Most of them that I see are commuting daily, with a single occupant (the driver). The PHEV Aviator is better than most of their big SUV competitors, but I still believe that Ford/Lincoln should already be offering a BEV version of their most inefficient vehicles. I contend that such a vehicle can be profitable, just not as profitable as rehashing older technology. The Cadillac Escalade is a good example of this outdated philosophy of putting short term profit first. They make upwards of $50K in profit off each Escalade sold, and you don't see Cadillac rushing to change their cash cows anytime soon. Still, GM has tasked Cadillac with being their EV "Vanguard" which was supposed to produce a BEV SUV in 2021, and a new EV Escalade in 2022. But government loosening of fuel economy and smog goals means that automakers may drag their feet like Chrysler (FCA) has done historically. Happily, competition breeds innovation. And the success of Tesla's Model 3 should extend into the upcoming Model Y CUV. And speaking of cleaner SUVs, Rivian also will be offering their R1S BEV SUV next year as a '21 model for a similar price to the Aviator. Both Tesla and Rivian seem to think that enough profit can be made off of BEV SUVs and pickups to support the business well, even if it is not bringing in the same windfall profits made by rehashing older gas/diesel technologies. And on some level Ford agrees because they invested heavily in Rivian. I do understand that the process to fully evolve vehicles to electrification will take time, but without good EV examples and incentives, change will be slower, and adoption will lag. So Kudos to Ford/Lincoln for making this step (along with the upcoming Mach-E) but it is still happening too slowly for me if they are planning to lead the industry.