Ford Fear Of China EV Invasion

By Douglas McIntyre • July 2, 2024

Julissa Helmuth Pexels

Ford could get smaller. According to InsideEVs, CEO Bill Farley said, “We will shrink.” Would a smaller Ford be viable?

Farley’s comments are part of his argument that Americans want smaller, less expensive EVs. That means that, after decades, Americans are willing to downsize. Why? To get better gas mileage. Surveys show that interest is undermined by fear of the number of charging stations and the length at which a battery will hold a charge. That may change if EV prices drop below $30,000 and charging stations become more available.

Farley says his “skunkworks” people will have a sub-$30,000 EV in two and a half years. He offered no proof that this could be done.

China EV Anxiety

Farley’s fear, along with other legacy cars, is that China will somehow be able to get its inexpensive EVs into the American market. Tariffs make that unlikely. Even without tariffs, it is not clear Americans will want them. They are, after all, small.

Ford walked away from small cars when it became clear Americans wanted SUVs and pickups. The No.2 US car company now believes it can reverse that trend. In the meantime, it needs to keep sales of its profit-making SUVs and pickups in place. Producing smaller EVs while selling gas guzzlers would seem an impossible balancing act.