Company Selection and Product Concept
For my course project, I selected Ford Motor Company. Founded in 1903, Ford has developed a strong reputation for automotive manufacturing, innovation, durability, and American engineering. The company is especially known for vehicles such as the F-Series trucks, Mustang, Bronco, and its growing selection of electric and hybrid vehicles. Ford’s history includes making transportation more accessible through products designed to be affordable, practical, and durable (Ford Motor Company, n.d.-a). Consumers generally expect Ford products to be dependable, useful, and capable of supporting work, travel, and outdoor activities.
My proposed consumer product is the Ford PowerGo Portable Power Station, a rechargeable battery-powered generator designed for household emergencies, outdoor recreation, tailgating, and remote work. This would be one standalone consumer product rather than a product line. Its key features would include multiple household outlets, USB and USB-C ports, wireless phone charging, a digital battery display, weather-resistant construction, an emergency light, and compatibility with solar charging panels. The product would operate without gasoline, helping consumers obtain quieter portable power without the direct exhaust produced by conventional generators.
This product fits Ford because the company is already associated with trucks, outdoor lifestyles, electrical innovation, and practical power features. Ford also has experience with battery technology and backup-power capabilities through products such as the F-150 Lightning and Ford Charge Station Pro (Ford Motor Company, n.d.-b). The unmet need involves households that want accessible backup power but cannot afford an electric vehicle or permanently installed home-energy system. Campers, tailgaters, homeowners in areas affected by outages, renters, and people who work remotely could also benefit. The Department of Energy explains that battery storage can support portable power and provide resilience during electrical disruptions (U.S. Department of Energy, n.d.-a).
Research Objectives and Design
The main research objective is to determine whether sufficient demand exists to launch Ford PowerGo successfully in the United States. The research should identify the most promising target customers, the situations in which they would use the product, and the features they consider essential. It should also measure acceptable pricing, preferred battery capacity, desired charging time, purchase intentions, and perceptions of Ford as a portable-power brand. Additional objectives include determining whether buyers prioritize durability, portability, environmental benefits, safety, or compatibility with other Ford products.
Competitive research would compare Ford PowerGo with portable battery stations from brands such as Jackery, EcoFlow, Anker, and Goal Zero. The analysis would examine competitors’ capacity, charging speed, weight, warranties, prices, customer reviews, distribution channels, promotional messages, and target audiences. It would also evaluate whether competitors position their products primarily for emergencies, recreation, sustainability, or professional use. Safety certifications would be important because the Department of Energy recommends charging equipment certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (U.S. Department of Energy, n.d.-b).
The research must also consider external factors. Economic conditions and battery costs could affect the price consumers are willing to pay. Environmental concerns may increase interest in alternatives to gasoline generators, while laws and safety standards could influence design and labeling. Technological developments may improve battery capacity and charging speed, but they may also cause products to become outdated more quickly. Battery sourcing, recycling, and disposal would need to be evaluated because they could affect Ford’s costs and environmental reputation.
I would use a mixed-method research design combining secondary and primary research. Secondary research would include industry reports, government information, competitor websites, retail prices, product reviews, patent records, and market-share data. Primary qualitative research would include focus groups and interviews with homeowners, campers, renters, remote workers, and current Ford customers. These conversations could uncover needs and concerns that structured surveys might overlook. Primary quantitative research would then use an online survey of a larger national sample to measure purchase interest, feature preferences, expected usage, and price sensitivity. Finally, selected participants could test a prototype and provide feedback about its weight, controls, charging time, noise level, and overall usefulness. Combining these methods would allow Ford to estimate demand while also understanding why consumers would or would not purchase the product.
References
Ford Motor Company. (n.d.-a). Our history. https://corporate.ford.com/about/history/
Ford Motor Company. (n.d.-b). What is Ford Home Backup Power? https://www.ford.com/support/how-tos/electric-vehicles/home-charging/what-is-ford-home-backup-power/
U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.-a). Solar energy and storage basics. https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/solar-integration-solar-energy-and-storage-basics
U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.-b). Electric vehicles for consumers. Alternative Fuels Data Center. https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/electric-consumers
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