Ford Claims It Will Have A “Mannequin T Second” On August 11, 2025

Throughout a second quarter earnings name on July 30, Ford CEO Jim Farley named August 11, 2025 because the date when the corporate would take the wraps off its newest plan to grow to be a frontrunner of the EV revolution. CleanTechnica readers will recall that final 12 months, Farley introduced he had been driving a Xiaomi SU7 for six months and the automotive was so good, he didn’t wish to give it up.

In accordance with the Detroit Free Press, Farley and an government management workforce from Ford went to China earlier this 12 months to review how Chinese language auto firms function. The teachings realized from that have are actually being utilized all through the corporate because it adjusts its advertising and marketing plans for the US and different international locations.

“On August 11, that shall be a giant day for all of us at Ford,” Farley stated on the July 30 name. “We shall be in Kentucky to share extra about our plans to design and construct a breakthrough electrical car and a platform within the US. This can be a Mannequin-T second for us at Ford. An opportunity to deliver a brand new household of autos to the world that supply unbelievable expertise, effectivity, house, and options.”

The important thing to the new advertising and marketing plan is to make manufacturing and promoting electrical autos worthwhile. Till now, Ford has been dropping cash each quarter in its EV division, identified formally as Mannequin e. Within the second quarter of this 12 months, the corporate posted a loss for the Mannequin e division of $1.3 billion, which was barely greater than it misplaced in the identical quarter final 12 months.

Ford was quick out of the gate with its F-150 Lightning battery-electric pickup truck, electrical Mustang Mach-E, and the E-Transit cargo van within the US, however has not introduced any new EVs to market in North America recently. Crosstown rival, Normal Motors, has introduced the Cadillac Lyric, Otiq, Vistique, and Escalade IQ to market since then and Chevrolet is now promoting the Blazer EV, Equinox EV, and Silverado EV. GMC additionally has the excessive Hummer EV as nicely.

Small, Inexpensive Electrical Car From Ford

Farley stated in the course of the July 30 earnings name that Ford now believes the EV market is most suited to small electrical autos designed for city commuting. In the course of the previous three years, whereas gross sales of its current EVs have floundered, a workforce of engineers on the firm’s so-called Skunkworks in California has been busy growing a brand new structure that can permit Ford to supply inexpensive small EVs that can really be worthwhile.

In accordance with TechCrunch, that workforce is lead by former Tesla government Alan Clark and contains different gifted people recruited from Tesla, Rivian, Apple, and Lucid Motors. Till now, Ford has been imprecise about what kind of autos the workforce is designing, however TechCrunch studies the primary car to make use of the brand new platform shall be a midsize electrical pickup truck, which is scheduled to be in showrooms in 2027.

In an echo of the advertising and marketing technique on the now defunct Canoo, Farley suggests the brand new platform might help a variety of “high hats” — car our bodies that would included sedans, SUVs, or crossovers that each one share the identical underpinnings. Now we have been listening to about this technique for the reason that early days of Faraday Future. Maybe the thought will quickly be prepared for prime time? The corporate has instructed the brand new autos, no matter they’re, will function “personalised digital experiences.”

“We actually see, not the worldwide (automakers) as our aggressive set for our subsequent era of EVs, we see the Chinese language. Firms like Geely, BYD,” Farley stated. “That’s how we constructed our car. How we’ve engineered what sort of provide chain we’ve used and the type of low content material in our manufacturing.”

The large announcement on August 11 will happen on the Ford meeting plant in Louisville, Kentucky. Throughout contract negotiations with the UAW in 2023, either side stated they’d struck a deal that will put that manufacturing unit “actually on the heart of the universe for EV manufacturing and EV innovation,” the Courier Journal reported on the time. Ford agreed to take a position $1.2 billion in that manufacturing unit so it might have the ability to produce an “all-new EV product.”

Ford Bets On LFP Batteries

Farley informed buyers final week that its new battery manufacturing unit in Marshall, Michigan, is essential to its EV plans. “It’s a giant benefit for the corporate. We’re the primary one to construct LFP batteries at scale. It additionally has a manufacturing tax credit score and we’re grateful that Congress upheld that. That’s a key a part of our profitability street map to transition to those lower-cost batteries. Can’t wait to point out you the product and the platform, so keep tuned,” he stated.

What he didn’t say is that the Marshall, Michigan, battery manufacturing unit will use expertise offered by CATL, the most important battery producer on the earth. That’s the excellent news. The unhealthy information is that CATL is a Chinese language firm and Chinese language firms are personae non grata within the US of A in the mean time.

Simply this week, Tesla introduced it was transitioning away from utilizing LFP batteries equipped by CATL to batteries manufactured by LG Vitality Answer, partly to keep away from the wrath of the MAGAlomaniacs at present working the present in Washington, DC. Ford has each cause to downplay its affiliation with CATL as harmful political crosscurrents roil extra industries within the US immediately.

Managing Market Turmoil

Farley stated that market turmoil brought on by shifting shopper calls for and authorities rules over the previous three years — the Inflation Discount Act solely got here into existence three years in the past this month — have led the corporate to rethink its general advertising and marketing plans throughout that point interval. As a part of its new EV technique, Ford will supply only some “high hats” and modify its timing to be in market segments “the place we are able to really become profitable on EVs.”

However the firm is taking an “all the above” method, which implies it would supply a variety of powertrain decisions, together with prolonged vary electrical autos, partial zero emissions autos, and a full vary of hybrids throughout its complete lineup. “We expect that’s a a lot better transfer than a $60,000 to $70,000 all-electric crossover,” Farley stated. “We expect it’s actually what clients are going to need long run and we’re investing lots in additional sturdy inside combustion engine powertrains.”

“We’ve undoubtedly moved out launches, we’ve canceled some merchandise, we’ve made the best decisions when it comes to battery chemistry change, like our LFP in Michigan. I believe we’re very nicely positioned for the truth of the EV market with the shoppers immediately,” Farley stated. The brand new technique is anticipated to offer Ford flexibility to adapt to the market forces with out having to decide to multi-year product cycles on a full line of EVs.

Radical Re-Engineering

“Ours EVs are popping out within the subsequent 12 months or two,” Farley stated. “So that you’re going to see numerous information out from Ford on our EVs. Our technique’s quite simple: We imagine the one solution to actually compete successfully with the Chinese language, over the globe on EVs, is to go and actually push ourselves to radically re-engineer and remodel our engineering, provide chain, and manufacturing course of.”

That’s attention-grabbing. US and European automakers taught the Chinese language tips on how to manufacture cars, then the Chinese language found out tips on how to beat them at their very own sport. Now the Chinese language are returning the favor by educating the US and Europeans tips on how to construct vehicles within the twenty first century, which implies electrical and plug-in hybrid autos. The normal firms thought they had been the shizznit however they bought caught napping when the Chinese language modified the sport from inside combustion to battery electrical powertrains.

“It is best to count on from Ford in these different areas, the place electrification is essential, to accomplice the place we have to,” Farley stated. “Now we have a superb technique. I’m very grateful that we moved quick as a result of we realized in regards to the market altering perhaps earlier than our rivals and we are able to reload our capital and have the best planning for this new actuality of EVs.”

Prayers & Guarantees

These are very encouraging phrases, however will Ford get its sums proper going ahead? A “Mannequin T second” is a daring prediction. Now to see if Farley and Ford can ship on that declare. Will we be amazed on August 11? Among the many cognoscenti at CleanTechnica world headquarters, the temper is hopeful, however tinged with a dollop of doubt as as to whether Ford can really beat the Chinese language at their very own sport.

It’s one factor to succeed when the opposition is excluded by tariffs and commerce boundaries; it’s fairly one other to take action on a stage enjoying subject. Farley is fairly good at being the general public face of a significant US automaker, however now he’s promising a giant step ahead for the corporate. Till August 11, the jury continues to be out on whether or not he can ship on the guarantees he’s making.