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Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F)* effectively abandoned its Electric Vehicle strategy this week in an attempt to stop the hemorrhaging of billions of dollars in shareholder money. Ford announced a series of actions to improve its so-called Ford+ plan, reassigning capital to meet what it described as customer demand and drive profitable growth.
“This is a customer-driven shift to create a stronger, more resilient and more profitable Ford,” said (claimed?) Ford president and CEO Jim Farley. “The operating reality has changed, and we are redeploying capital into higher-return growth opportunities: Ford Pro, our market-leading trucks and vans, hybrids and high-margin opportunities like our new battery energy storage business.”
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“These actions provide a path to profitability in Model e by 2029, targeting annual improvements beginning in 2026. The actions will also improve profits in Ford Blue and Ford Pro over time with early signs of benefits in 2026. As a result, Ford expects to record about $19.5 billion in special items, the majority in the fourth quarter of 2025, with the remainder in 2026 and 2027. As part of these special items, the company expects approximately $5.5 billion in cash effects, with the majority paid in 2026 and the remainder in 2027,” Ford claimed.
Ford and its subsidiaries plan to hire thousands of people across America, reinforcing the company’s leadership as the top employer of U.S. hourly autoworkers. “The evolved strategy is built on four key pillars.
- Expanding Customer Choice with Gas, Hybrids and Low-Cost Electric Vehicle Platform
- By 2030, Ford expects approximately 50% of its global volume will be hybrids, extended-range EVs and fully electric vehicles, up from 17% in 2025.
- Ford will concentrate its North American electric vehicle development on its new, low-cost, flexible Universal EV Platform. This next-generation architecture is engineered to underpin a high-volume family of smaller, highly efficient and affordable electric vehicles designed to be accessible to millions of customers. The first vehicle from the Universal EV Platform will be the fully connected mid-size pickup truck assembled at Louisville Assembly Plant starting in 2027.
- Ford plans to expand hybrids with a range of executions based on customer needs and duty cycle –economical, performance hybrids and hybrids with exportable power. Ford is enhancing its strategy for larger trucks and SUVs to better align with customer demand for capability, towing and range, which includes adding extended-range electric options to its lineup.
“As part of this plan, Ford’s next-generation F-150 Lightning will shift to an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) architecture and be assembled at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. Production of the current generation F-150 Lightning has concluded as Ford redeploys employees to Dearborn Truck Plant to support a third crew for F-150 gas and hybrid truck production as a result of the Novelis fires,” Ford said. [four times the usual SEC forward statement cautions . contingencies and warnings should be applied – AutoCrat]**
“The F-150 Lightning is a groundbreaking product that demonstrated an electric pickup can still be a great F-Series,” said Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV, digital and design officer. “Our next-generation Lightning EREV is every bit as revolutionary. It keeps everything customers love – 100% electric power delivery, sub-5-second acceleration – and adds an estimated 700+ mile range and tows like a locomotive. It will be an incredibly versatile tool delivered in a capital-efficient way.”
The company no longer intends to produce a previously planned new electric commercial van for Europe but will continue to maintain its full lineup of electrified vans for that market. Ford also plans to replace a planned electric commercial van for North America with a new, affordable commercial van – with gas and hybrid models – to meet the needs of commercial customers. This new van will be manufactured at Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant.
These moves complement the company’s plan to launch five new affordable vehicles by the end of the decade, four of which will be assembled in the U.S. The company also plans to expand gas, hybrid and extended-range electric options across its portfolio with nearly every vehicle featuring a hybrid or multi-energy powertrain choice by the end of the decade.
Recently, Ford announced a series of changes to its business in Europe, including new leadership to drive the strategic direction, and a European product offensive that will bring a new generation of multi-energy vehicles to customers in Europe. Ford also announced a strategic partnership with Renault to collaborate in the development of electric vehicles in both the commercial and passenger segments.
Expanding Ford’s Truck and Van Leadership with New U.S. Production
This strategy is said to reinforce Ford’s commitment to American manufacturing by repurposing its facilities in Tennessee and Ohio to expand its truck and van lineup leadership.
- Tennessee Truck Plant: On the BlueOval City campus, the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center is renamed Tennessee Truck Plant. The facility will produce all-new Built Ford Tough truck models with production starting in 2029. These new affordable gas-powered trucks will broaden Ford’s truck family and extend its market leadership, replacing the previously planned next-generation electric truck.
- Ohio Assembly Plant: The plant will become a central hub for Ford Pro, assembling the new gas-and hybrid-powered commercial van starting in 2029, alongside Super Duty chassis cabs, strengthening Ford’s commercial vehicle dominance.
- Launching a Battery Energy Storage System Business
- Ford is launching a new business – including sales and service – to capture the large demand for battery energy storage from data centers and infrastructure to support the electric grid. Ford plans to repurpose existing U.S. battery manufacturing capacity in Glendale, Kentucky, to serve the rapidly growing battery energy storage systems market. This strategic initiative will leverage currently underutilized electric vehicle battery capacity to create a new, diversified and profitable revenue stream for Ford.
- The company also plans to invest roughly $2 billion in the next two years to scale the business. The Kentucky site will be converted to manufacture 5 MWh+ advanced battery energy storage systems. Ford plans to produce LFP prismatic cells, battery energy storage system modules and 20-foot Container systems at this facility. These systems are at the heart of the energy storage solution market for data centers, utilities, and large-scale industrial and commercial customers.
- Leveraging more than a century of manufacturing expertise and licensed advanced battery technology, Ford plans to bring initial capacity online within 18 months, positioning the company to capture share in the growing U.S. battery energy storage systems market. Ford currently plans to deploy at least 20 GWh annually by late 2027.
- Last week, Ford, SK On, SK Battery America and BlueOval SK entered into a joint venture disposition agreement. Under this mutual agreement, a Ford subsidiary will independently own and operate the Kentucky battery plants. SK On will fully own and operate the Tennessee battery plant.
Separately, Ford will utilize BlueOval Battery Park Michigan in Marshall, Michigan, to produce smaller Amp-hour cells for use in residential energy storage solutions. This plant remains on track to begin manufacturing LFP prismatic battery cells in 2026 to power Ford’s upcoming midsize electric truck, the first model on the new Universal EV Platform.
Updated 2025 Guidance
Ford Motor increased its 2025 adjusted EBIT guidance to about $7 billion given continued underlying business strength, including cost improvement. It restated adjusted free cash flow guidance range, trending towards the high end of $2 billion to $3 billion. Ford plans to report its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 financial results Tuesday, Feb. 10.
*AutoInformed on
**Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
Statements included or incorporated by reference herein may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, forecasts, and assumptions by our management and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated, including, without limitation:
- Ford’s long-term success depends on delivering the Ford+ plan, including improving cost and competitiveness.
- Ford’s vehicles could be affected by defects that result in recall campaigns, increased warranty costs, or delays in new model launches, and the time it takes to improve the quality of our vehicles and services and reduce the costs associated therewith could continue to have an adverse effect on our business.
- Ford is highly dependent on its suppliers to deliver components in accordance with Ford’s production schedule and specifications, and a shortage of or inability to timely acquire key components or raw materials can disrupt Ford’s production of vehicles.
- Ford’s production, as well as Ford’s suppliers’ production, and/or the ability to deliver products to consumers could be disrupted by labor issues, public health issues, natural or man-made disasters, adverse effects of climate change, financial distress, production difficulties, capacity limitations, or other factors.
- Ford may not realize the anticipated benefits of existing or pending strategic alliances, joint ventures, acquisitions, divestitures, or business strategies or the benefits may take longer than expected to materialize.
- Ford may not realize the anticipated benefits of restructuring actions and such actions may cause Ford to incur significant charges, disrupt our operations, or harm our reputation.
- Failure to develop and deploy secure digital services that appeal to customers and grow our subscription rates could have a negative impact on Ford’s business.
- Ford’s ability to maintain a competitive cost structure could be affected by labor or other constraints.
- Ford’s ability to attract, develop, grow, support, and reward talent is critical to its success and competitiveness.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Ford Motor Eliminates Model E in Profit Seeking About Face
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Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F)* effectively abandoned its Electric Vehicle strategy this week in an attempt to stop the hemorrhaging of billions of dollars in shareholder money. Ford announced a series of actions to improve its so-called Ford+ plan, reassigning capital to meet what it described as customer demand and drive profitable growth.
“This is a customer-driven shift to create a stronger, more resilient and more profitable Ford,” said (claimed?) Ford president and CEO Jim Farley. “The operating reality has changed, and we are redeploying capital into higher-return growth opportunities: Ford Pro, our market-leading trucks and vans, hybrids and high-margin opportunities like our new battery energy storage business.”
Click for more.
“These actions provide a path to profitability in Model e by 2029, targeting annual improvements beginning in 2026. The actions will also improve profits in Ford Blue and Ford Pro over time with early signs of benefits in 2026. As a result, Ford expects to record about $19.5 billion in special items, the majority in the fourth quarter of 2025, with the remainder in 2026 and 2027. As part of these special items, the company expects approximately $5.5 billion in cash effects, with the majority paid in 2026 and the remainder in 2027,” Ford claimed.
Ford and its subsidiaries plan to hire thousands of people across America, reinforcing the company’s leadership as the top employer of U.S. hourly autoworkers. “The evolved strategy is built on four key pillars.
“As part of this plan, Ford’s next-generation F-150 Lightning will shift to an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) architecture and be assembled at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. Production of the current generation F-150 Lightning has concluded as Ford redeploys employees to Dearborn Truck Plant to support a third crew for F-150 gas and hybrid truck production as a result of the Novelis fires,” Ford said. [four times the usual SEC forward statement cautions . contingencies and warnings should be applied – AutoCrat]**
“The F-150 Lightning is a groundbreaking product that demonstrated an electric pickup can still be a great F-Series,” said Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV, digital and design officer. “Our next-generation Lightning EREV is every bit as revolutionary. It keeps everything customers love – 100% electric power delivery, sub-5-second acceleration – and adds an estimated 700+ mile range and tows like a locomotive. It will be an incredibly versatile tool delivered in a capital-efficient way.”
The company no longer intends to produce a previously planned new electric commercial van for Europe but will continue to maintain its full lineup of electrified vans for that market. Ford also plans to replace a planned electric commercial van for North America with a new, affordable commercial van – with gas and hybrid models – to meet the needs of commercial customers. This new van will be manufactured at Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant.
These moves complement the company’s plan to launch five new affordable vehicles by the end of the decade, four of which will be assembled in the U.S. The company also plans to expand gas, hybrid and extended-range electric options across its portfolio with nearly every vehicle featuring a hybrid or multi-energy powertrain choice by the end of the decade.
Recently, Ford announced a series of changes to its business in Europe, including new leadership to drive the strategic direction, and a European product offensive that will bring a new generation of multi-energy vehicles to customers in Europe. Ford also announced a strategic partnership with Renault to collaborate in the development of electric vehicles in both the commercial and passenger segments.
Expanding Ford’s Truck and Van Leadership with New U.S. Production
This strategy is said to reinforce Ford’s commitment to American manufacturing by repurposing its facilities in Tennessee and Ohio to expand its truck and van lineup leadership.
Separately, Ford will utilize BlueOval Battery Park Michigan in Marshall, Michigan, to produce smaller Amp-hour cells for use in residential energy storage solutions. This plant remains on track to begin manufacturing LFP prismatic battery cells in 2026 to power Ford’s upcoming midsize electric truck, the first model on the new Universal EV Platform.
Updated 2025 Guidance
Ford Motor increased its 2025 adjusted EBIT guidance to about $7 billion given continued underlying business strength, including cost improvement. It restated adjusted free cash flow guidance range, trending towards the high end of $2 billion to $3 billion. Ford plans to report its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 financial results Tuesday, Feb. 10.
*AutoInformed on
**Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
Statements included or incorporated by reference herein may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, forecasts, and assumptions by our management and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated, including, without limitation:
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.