Ford says the move to electric vehicles (EVs) must be customer-driven, not pushed by regulators, as the automaker rolls out more EVs despite billions in losses.
Speaking to British publication Autocar, Bill Ford – executive chairman of the automaker – said the move to EVs is important but there are lessons in what had not gone so well for the auto industry so far.
“What went wrong is that the regulators got out ahead of the customers,” Mr Ford told Autocar.
“That’s never a good situation. In the future, electrification will play a very important role in transportation, but it won’t be the only part.
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“The ICE [internal combustion engine] business will be gradually phased out, but it won’t disappear. What happens will vary according to region.”
Ford’s electric division – named ‘Model e’ as a nod to its pioneering mass production of the Model T early last century – this week announced a Ford Ranger-sized electric pickup scheduled to go on sale in 2027.
It will use a new affordable dedicated electric platform set to underpin a family of vehicles, and is expected to start at $US30,000 ($A45,800) – less than the starting price of a Ranger in the US, which is $US33,350 ($A50,900).
The unnamed EV pickup has not been confirmed for Ford Australia showrooms, but the local arm has a direct link to Model e as it’s run by previous Ford Australia president, Kay Hart.
The push comes after Model e posted losses of US$5.1 billion in 2024 alone, and paused production of the F-150 Lightning EV and delayed its replacement until 2028.
Ford also scrapped plans for a three-row EV SUV, instead investing in more short-term profitable F-Series Super Duty production.
Locally, Ford Australia cancelled plans to introduce the electric Puma Gen-E SUV before dropping the Puma from its lineup entirely in 2024, while Mustang Mach-E electric SUV sales have slowed further despite significant price cuts.
However, the company is adding the E-Transit Custom to join the E-Transit – as well as plug-in hybrid versions of the Transit Custom and Ranger – in local showrooms.
“At Ford, we’ve invested in all of these clean technologies, and I feel good about that,” Mr Ford said. “But it’s down to customers. They want what they want, and it’s our job to give it to them.”
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