Ford overhauls EV Strategy with New Platform, Manufacturing Process to Compete in Price-Sensitive Market

DEARBORN, MI – Ford Motor Company is undertaking a significant restructuring of its electric vehicle development and production, aiming to deliver more affordable EVs and better compete with Tesla and other emerging EV manufacturers. Teh move comes as the automotive industry faces increasing pressure to lower EV prices and improve manufacturing efficiency.

Central to FordS revised strategy is a new, unified EV platform intended to streamline development and reduce costs. This platform will underpin a range of future electric vehicles,including a planned affordable electric pickup truck. The company acknowledges that software development has become a critical battleground in the EV space, a domain where dedicated EV companies have held an advantage. Legacy automakers, including Toyota and Volvo, have reportedly faced challenges in matching the software capabilities of Tesla and Rivian.

Ford is also implementing a novel manufacturing approach dubbed the “assembly tree.” Unlike conventional automotive assembly lines where vehicles move sequentially through a single process, the assembly tree divides vehicle construction into three parallel sub-assembly lines. this parallel processing is projected to significantly reduce overall production time and minimize the number of required assembly stations. The change is being driven by Ford’s Director of EV Industrial footprint, Young, who stated the company’s current position necessitates bold action.

The shift in manufacturing philosophy represents a departure from the century-old, Henry Ford-pioneered assembly line. Details released indicate the new process will be implemented at Ford’s manufacturing facility in BlueOval City, Stanton, Tennessee, a $5.6 billion mega-campus dedicated to EV and battery production. The facility, slated to begin production in 2025, is expected to create approximately 6,000 jobs. Ford’s previous EV efforts, including the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 lightning, have demonstrated consumer demand for electric vehicles, but have also highlighted the need for increased production capacity and cost reduction to achieve wider market penetration. The company aims to achieve an annual EV production capacity of 600,000 units globally by the end of 2023, and over 2 million annually by 2026.

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