Ford delays some electric vehicles, refocuses on hybrids

Ford just announced it is delaying the launch of some electric vehicles, including its long-awaited three-row SUV. The car was originally slated to launch next year, but has now been pushed back to 2027, with the company saying it will use the extra time “to take advantage of emerging battery technologies.” Ford said it would take steps to “mitigate the impact of the delayed launch on the Canadian workforce.”

The next-generation electric pickup truck, codenamed “T3”, will also be postponed from the end of 2025 to 2026. The vehicle is being built at the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center Assembly Plant at the company’s Blue Oval City complex, but Ford said it just installed stamping equipment that will produce the truck’s sheet metal.

In addition to these announcements, the company also revealed new initiatives for hybrid vehicles. The company said it plans to offer hybrid powertrains across the entire Ford Blue lineup by 2030. Despite the delays and shift to hybrids, Ford says it remains committed to electric vehicles and continues to build battery plants in Michigan, Tennessee and Kentucky.

However, it’s no secret that the EV market isn’t as strong as the company once hoped. Maybe it’s the high price of entry, spotty charging infrastructure, or the fact that some electric vehicles don’t qualify for federal tax credits. Heck, maybe consumers just lost interest because of some unnamed CEO.

Regardless, the economic slowdown is real, though perhaps a bit exaggerated. Ford’s electric vehicle sales fell 11% in January, but the company said its sales rebounded, with sales for the entire first quarter up 86% compared with the same period last year. However, the company’s electric vehicle products lost $4.7 billion in 2023.

“We are committed to expanding our profitable electric vehicle business,” said Ford President and CEO Jim Farley. To this end, the company announced last year that it would delay or cancel $12 billion in spending on electric vehicle programs. It’s unclear what the situation is today. The announcement will affect Ford’s plan to increase electric vehicle production to 600,000 vehicles per year. Regardless, customers can now use Tesla Superchargers across the U.S. and Canada, which should help alleviate some infrastructure issues.

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