Ford Further Slows EV Production Plans
Moves forward three-row EV timeline at Canadian plant by two years.
Oakville, Ontario plant is dedicated to production of three-row electric vehicle.
IMAGE: Ford
Ford is delaying some electric-vehicle production as it refocuses on hybrids.
It announced that it’s pushing forward the EV production timeline at its Ontario plant by two years to 2027. The facility is where it plans to make a three-row “family” vehicle. Ford said in a press release that the delay “will allow for the consumer market for three-row EVs to further develop and enable Ford to take advantage of emerging battery technology, with the goal to provide customers increased durability and better value.”
Meanwhile, the Detroit-area automaker said it’s expanding its hybrid lineup, saying it plans to offer hybrids across its full Ford Blue lineup in North America by the end of the decade.
Ford said its EV sales rose 86% year-over-year in the first quarter, its hybrid sales 42%.
“As the No. 2 EV brand in the U.S. for the past two years, we are committed to scaling a profitable EV business, using capital wisely and bringing to market the right gas, hybrid and fully electric vehicles at the right time,” said Ford President and CEO Jim Farley.
Tesla is still the No. 1 EV maker in the U.S. but has lately been trading places with China’s BYD for the title of world EV sales leader.
“Our breakthrough, next-generation EVs will be new from the ground up and fully software enabled, with ever-improving digital experiences and a multitude of potential services," Farley said.
Ford and other legacy automakers have recently scaled back formerly ambitious plans to convert their entire lineups to purely electric powertrains by 2030 or 2035 after seeing demand flatten following a wave of early adoption.
LEARN MORE: Global Auto Production, U.S. Sales Forecast Upbeat
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More Industry
Gem State Stores Change Hands
A larger auto group founded in the industry’s early years sold two franchises to a neighbor group that's on a growth spurt.
Read More →
Charging In Motion
Honda has been researching wireless in-motion charging for electric vehicles since 2025, and new technology developments have put it a step closer to a final product.
Read More →
Twin Cities Stores Sell
Minnesota-based Walser Automotive Group made what it called the most significant acquisition in its history with a three-rooftop deal in Minneapolis.
Read More →
U.S. Auto Sales Still Below Prepandemic Levels
Mobility Global industry observers don’t expect the market to return to the higher volumes that became routine before Covid but to stay well below its potential.
Read More →
The Powertrain Shift
Electric-vehicle owners are backpedaling, according to new data, with product availability driving many to shift back to gas-powered engines.
Read More →
Achromatic Autos
The shades that dominate the U.S. car market don’t call attention to themselves, though grayscale may have plateaued after a 30-year upswing, research shows.
Read More →
Used-Vehicle Affordability Worsens
Listing prices in August defied seasonal trends, rising above $27,000 for the second time this year.
Read More →
First-Half Dealership Deals Up
Buy-sell activity shows that acquirers are looking for value and scale as many retailers seek to leave an increasingly competitive and complex market, Kerrigan Advisors reports.
Read More →
Kia Closes Out Summer With a Bang
Its U.S. subsidiary broke multiple records in August, in part due to a surge of demand for hybrids models.
Read More →
Indiana Dealership Changes Hands
A 30-year-old Ford dealership in Indiana has a new owner and will soon be undergoing renovations to meet manufacturer requirements.
Read More →