Ford doubles down on EV future

[Q6543]

All you need to know about what’s coming

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[Zig]

“Making Moves
Ford CEO announces ‘major changes’ as struggling company tries to adapt to ‘shifts’ in drivers’ habits
The automaker blames its losses on its investment in EVs

Published: 16:12 ET, Feb 5 2025
Updated: 16:12 ET, Feb 5 2025”

https://www.the-sun.com/motors/13462014/ford-ceo-jim-farley-big-changes/

 

[9secondko]

It’s a CFO job.
She’s used to trying to put out the fires of financial devastation on the EV side, so she should know her way around getting creative to solve the larger financial picture.

 

[roket]

i highly doubt that Ford is going to be doubling down on EVs considering the sales of the Lighting and especially the E Transit (i've only seen 3 new E Transits be delivered to my dealer), doubly so considering last i heard Ford was massively toning down Lightning production. here's some sales numbers from US Ford's 2024 Q4 sales press release

2024 YTD total vehicle sales: 2,078,832 (+4.2% vs 2023)
of those, 285,291 were electrified, which is both hybrids and EVs
97,865 of those were full EVs. that is only 4.7% of all Fords sold in 2024, and even that is up 34.8% compared to 2023

further breakdown:
Mach-Es sold in 2024: 51,745
Lightnings sold in 2024: 33,510 (10,493 less than the 44003 Mustangs sold in 2024!)
E Transits sold in 2024: 12,610

also, according to Ford, their electrified (hybrid and EV) sales were more than GM's and Stellantis'

 

[MAT1955]

@Q6543 ..... thank you for providing that information. I needed a lift on this snowy day and had the best laugh in a week. I met a Mustang owner who bought a 2024 Ford 150 Lightening. He said it was the worst pos he had ever owned and the worst vehicle mistake he had ever made for too many reasons to mention.

 

[roket]

... He said it was the worst pos he had ever owned and the worst vehicle mistake he had ever made for too many reasons to mention.

my dad has had bad experiences with his Lightning too. AM radio was added but inop, instrument cluster issues, many many recalls, and so on. but he likes being able to charge at work and doesnt want a Mach-E. he says he's waiting for Ford to make a PHEV F-150 or bring the Ranger PHEV over from europe

 

[Q6543]

Did you read the same article??

They are taking EV/Mach E operations officer, from 2022 and putting them in the chief strategy operations
To deploy capital in the changing technology.

WTF do you think is gonna happen when they put the EV side in control of the future…?
They didn’t pick from BLUE, the ICE side, or the fleet side.

maybe because I’m on the inside I have a different realization about all of this.

very little money, if any will go to future ICE development…

 

[Mr Hyde]

Should ford doubles down on irritating its investors also see express train to bankruptcy.

 

[JAM486HP]

Could be something going forward. The US market has been signalling consumers do not want all electric, yet, they want hybrids. So all electric has been put on ICE for the time being.

 

[9secondko]

Pretty much. Either there is more subtlety to the job or it’s a viewed as a way to blend strategies as one vision.

but if it’s just “doubling down” on EVs, I think Ford is in serious danger

you don’t take the coo of the least successful division and put them in charge of strategy if the direction was to make the whole company just like the least successful division.

there’s more to it where there is a need for everything to work together instead of having competing goals and she just may be the most competent in hashing out a way for everyone to be happy. And its strategy. Not direction. Direction is coming from Farley. But how to get there is strategy. So sounds a lot like a big hybrid focus.

EVS are here to stay. ICE isn’t going anywhere. Makes sense to share a cohesive vision for not only coexistence, but making it all work together. As Ford is new to EV, but has the most ICE experience out of anyone, it takes someone with ev experience to help carve a path forward. Hybrids, stand-alone, etc.

 

[Gregs24]

i highly doubt that Ford is going to be doubling down on EVs considering the sales of the Lighting and especially the E Transit (i've only seen 3 new E Transits be delivered to my dealer), doubly so considering last i heard Ford was massively toning down Lightning production. here's some sales numbers from US Ford's 2024 Q4 sales press release

2024 YTD total vehicle sales: 2,078,832 (+4.2% vs 2023)
of those, 285,291 were electrified, which is both hybrids and EVs
97,865 of those were full EVs. that is only 4.7% of all Fords sold in 2024, and even that is up 34.8% compared to 2023

further breakdown:
Mach-Es sold in 2024: 51,745
Lightnings sold in 2024: 33,510 (10,493 less than the 44003 Mustangs sold in 2024!)
E Transits sold in 2024: 12,610

also, according to Ford, their electrified (hybrid and EV) sales were more than GM's and Stellantis'

Ford is a GLOBAL company. US sales are less than half of the total and you don't even get many of the Ford cars made and sold elsewhere. Ford is lagging behind many car companies in EV sales (although in Europe and China they have released a whole raft of new models) but the direction of travel is very clear globally.

 

[Gregs24]

my dad has had bad experiences with his Lightning too. AM radio was added but inop, instrument cluster issues, many many recalls, and so on. but he likes being able to charge at work and doesnt want a Mach-E. he says he's waiting for Ford to make a PHEV F-150 or bring the Ranger PHEV over from europe

Those issues are not down to it being an EV of course, just poor build quality which can affect any vehicle.

 

[Zig]

Ford CEO: We Need EREVs Because Americans 'Love Their Big Trucks'
Ford's CEO says EREVs will help overcome the "unsolvable" problems with large battery-electric trucks and SUVs.

https://insideevs.com/news/749759/ford-ceo-erev-trucks/

 

[Zig]

Another potentially interesting take:

“Ford is accordingly dissatisfied with the Model e division – and is now making personnel changes. Andrew Frick, previously President of the combustion engine division Ford Blue, is also taking over the management of Ford Model e.”

https://www.electrive.com/2025/02/06/ford-posts-another-big-loss-for-its-ev-division-in-2024/

 

[Alan Applegate]

My only question would be... When will auto makers and pols alike, realize that EVs had a rather limited market (Opine: no more than 10%, and perhaps half that)? If Ford would have divided their resources similarly, they (et. al.) wouldn't be in the financial position they find themselves in (political pressure notwithstanding).

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