Below is a story about how Ford is investing $2 billion in its Louisville plant for the production of affordable electric vehicles.
The project is related to the new “Universal EV” program, which will launch in 2027 with a mid-priced electric pickup. The investment complements a $3 billion battery project in Michigan, which will bring thousands of jobs specifically to the United States.
"Key Points
Ford on Monday announced it would invest $2 billion in a Louisville, Kentucky, assembly plant aimed at rolling out more affordable electric vehicles.
The investment comes on top of $3 billion already planned for a battery park in Michigan.
The Detroit automaker plans to produce a midsize, four-door electric pickup at the Louisville Assembly Plant, slated for 2027."
The article below discusses, among other things, how Ford CEO Jim Farley drove a Chinese Xiaomi SU7 electric car for half a year, which he praised as an excellent competitor. The article highlights how China’s affordable and high-tech electric cars could destabilize American manufacturers if they entered the US market; for example, in Europe, they have already gained a significant foothold.
Ford has reacted by initiating a revolution at its Louisville plant: in 2027, a completely redesigned electric pickup will be manufactured there for about $30,000. The new production method reduces the number of parts and speeds up the assembly line. In any case, China’s huge lead in subsidies, battery technology, and costs makes competition difficult, and it is by no means certain that Ford’s solutions will be enough to secure the company’s future.
Ford launched a new global “Ready, Set, Ford” campaign, where the focus shifts from cars to customers. The brand is built upon four promises; capability, passion, community and trust. According to the story, this is a big change, because the company has not unified its message globally for decades.
The campaign comes at a time when the industry is struggling with tariffs and consumer caution. Ford wants to show investors that investing in the brand is key to long-term growth and differentiation from competitors.
The Bloomberg article below reports how Ford is cutting 1,000 jobs at its Cologne plant in Germany, as demand for electric cars has been weaker than expected.
The cuts will be implemented through voluntary “departure arrangements”. The plant will switch to a single shift starting January 2026.
So 1/4 can leave. More will probably follow….Ford USA already set a not-so-flattering record, being the car brand with the most recalls in one year. And the last quarter is still left. The latest recall, problems with the rear camera manufactured by Magna, affected 1.4 million cars.
Ford is desperately trying to increase F-150 sales by offering financing even to customers with weaker credit ratings at lower-than-usual interest rates.
The goal is to make it easier to acquire the vehicle and reduce its increased inventories, although the risk of payment defaults naturally increases. Ford assesses customers’ ability to pay using its own model.
The company made good profit and revenue rose to record levels. Cash flow remained strong. Ford’s products and services performed well, and apparently cost discipline was maintained.
According to CEO Jim Farley, Ford is on its way towards a more agile and stronger future.
The company will continue to invest in the right technological solutions, collaboration, and profitable growth.
The article below states that Renault and Ford are entering into cooperation in the development and production of small, more affordable electric cars and vans aimed at the European market. This is in response to intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers.
The article states that the cooperation will help Ford fill gaps in its model range and reduce costs, while Renault will gain more scale and better utilization of its factories.
The goal is to produce competitively priced EV models in Europe to compete against Chinese cars.
