Joint Ford-Rivian Electric Vehicle Will Wear a Lincoln Badge; MKZ Bites the Dust This Year

It seems $500 million buys you a new Lincoln model, at the very least.

Ford Motor Company’s half-billion-dollar investment in electric vehicle startup Rivian will indeed spawn a new Lincoln model, the automaker announced Wednesday. At the same time, Lincoln confirmed that the midsize MKZ sedan won’t live to see the end of the year.

That Ford and Rivian plan to jointly develop a new vehicle on the latter company’s “skateboard” EV platform is not news; the Blue Oval made that clear from the outset. What remained a mystery was the vehicle’s bodystyle and badge.

“Working with Rivian marks a pivotal point for Lincoln as we move toward a future that includes fully electric vehicles,” Lincoln President Joy Falotico said in a statement. “This vehicle will take Quiet Flight to a new place – zero emissions, effortless performance and connected and intuitive technology. It’s going to be stunning.”

The news confirms last November’s Reuters report that claimed a Lincoln vehicle would emerge from the partnership. Sources with knowledge of the program said the platform underpinning Rivian’s R1T pickup and R1S SUV would form the basis of a Lincoln SUV due out in mid-2022. Given the size of the R1S (seen below), the model — reportedly codenamed U787 ⁠— is assumed to be a midsize, three-row vehicle.

When it arrives, the jointly developed model will join two plug-in hybrids in Lincoln’s lineup: the Aviator and Corsair Grand Touring. The automaker didn’t mention an on-sale or production date, nor a production locale, though Rivian owns an assembly plant in Normal, Illinois that could potentially handle the build.

In the background of all this, Ford r eportedly plans to build two midsize (Edge/Nautilus-sized) EV crossovers at its Flat Rock, Michigan assembly plant for the 2023 model year, each bearing a different badge. The production codes for those vehicles do not match the Rivian model.

Exciting stuff for tech geeks and greenies, but for traditional Lincoln lovers, it’s a sad day. In the same announcement, the marque took the opportunity to proclaim the demise of the MKZ sedan.

“As Lincoln adds a new luxury electric vehicle to its lineup, production of the MKZ sedan will end this year in order for the Hermosillo Assembly Plant in Mexico to prepare for production of new Ford vehicles,” the automaker stated.

Sharing the same platform as the equally doomed Ford Fusion, the MKZ was not expected to live beyond 2021. It seems its death will occur just a bit sooner than initially thought.

[Images: Lincoln Motor Company, Rivian]