Ford’s Lincoln luxury brand confirmed Wednesday that its first battery electric model will arrive in 2022—and that it’s one of four EVs that will be part of “a full portfolio of connected and electrified vehicles” by 2030. 

The brand didn’t entirely spell out how such a portfolio will take form, but it noted that this is part of Ford’s planned investment of more than $30 billion in electrification by 2025. 

Lincoln, calling this the start of its next era, is expecting an inflection point around 2025, when nearly half of its global volume will be all-electric vehicles. But unlike GM’s Cadillac, which plans to incrementally phase out internal combustion models through the decade, as new EV models arrive, Lincoln will still offer a set of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and perhaps non-hybrid options at the end of the decade. 

It says that the first fully electric model will deliver a more spacious cabin, with “a strikingly modern aesthetic” and an evolved version of the Lincoln star. The EV’s interior is described as “a truly rejuvenating space,” with a large panoramic roof, storage solutions, and a “coast-to-coast display” with selectable themes to fit the mood. 

Lincoln announced in April 2020 that the larger electric SUV co-developed with Rivian—called Mark E, according to some reports—had been cancelled, allegedly due to the pandemic. That left the "elegant" EV based on the Ford Mustang Mach-E that had been confirmed in 2019 by Ford North American president Kumar Galhotra.

Ford EV platforms for mid-decade, presented by Hau Thai-Tang

Ford EV platforms for mid-decade, presented by Hau Thai-Tang

This first EV could still be the same one Lincoln was referring to then. Ford is preparing two dedicated electric vehicle platforms for Ford and Lincoln EVs—one for a wide range of uni-body crossovers, SUVs, and perhaps trucks, and another intended for larger body-on-frame trucks. Lincoln says that the former of those two will underpin “four new and distinct fully electric vehicles”—of which this EV is the first.

Thai-Tang elaborated last month that the RWD/AWD architecture would underpin a wide range of vehicles, including two- and three-row vehicles, including SUVs like the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator. 

A technical cutaway of the new platform, presented last month, showed it appearing nearly identical to what underpins the Mach-E. Ford global product boss Tau Thai-Tang referred to the architecture as an evolution of what underpins the Mach-E, “maximizing the bandwidth, and optimizing the commonality,” but adding a full technology stack that centralizes processing, coordinates hardware sensors, and connects the vehicle to cloud and edge computing. 

2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring

2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring

Ford has shown that flexibility in its C2 platform that underpins everything from the Ford Maverick hybrid pickup to the Lincoln Corsair. The Corsair Grand Touring, which has been rated at 28 electric miles and 33 mpg in hybrid mode, starts arriving at dealerships soon, according to Lincoln president Joy Falotico.

Lincoln also announced “an enhanced suite of connected services” as it transitions to EVs, and pointed to “the creation of more connected, sensory experiences.” With what it calls a powerful new update to hands-free Alexa connectivity, over-the-air software updates, and its own driver-assistance features, dubbed Lincoln Active Glide, the luxury brand hopes to show something that isn’t always true in everyday life: that always-on can also be serene.