‘We hadn’t designed the … cars right’

Ford CEO Jim Farley recently spoke with the iconic automotive magazine Car and Driver For an in-depth interview about the future of Ford and electric vehicles.

Farley took the helm”Big Three” In 2020, it is an American automaker and known to automotive enthusiasts as a gearhead companion. family connections To the Ford brand.

In November, Farley was candid in recalling Ford’s acquisition and disassembly, known as “product teardown analysis” or “product teardown analysis.”dismantle” – of a Chinese EV.

farleyHe shared a self-penned essay describing feeling “humbled” during the EV teardown. automotive electrification “Confessions of a Petrolhead. I love electric vehicles and it has nothing to do with politics,” he wrote on social platform X in June 2024.

Farley fondly called the era of gas-powered engines the “soundtrack” of his life, adding: “As a lifelong gashead, I was as surprised as everyone else when I fell in love with electric vehicles.”

He immediately went on to say that neither “government policies” nor “political beliefs” had led to an “end-of-career romance” with electric vehicles, and explained why: any EV owner can relate.

Farley praised his truck’s “effortless acceleration,” saying, “Because I drive my Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum. It’s surprisingly quiet and smooth.”

Clearly, Farley is motivated by his genuine love of the game and pragmatism, as his extensive interview with Car and Driver shows. Media asked Farley about the launch of the F-150 Lightning and what Ford could do differently.

“I would definitely have done this differently. I mean, look, we didn’t know what we didn’t know,” the CEO said. Finally, Ford leadership came to a conclusion.

“I think it didn’t take us long to learn that our bias against internal combustion engines was so high that we didn’t design that engine. [electric] Farley prompted Car and Driver to ask him when he realized the iconic automaker was “doing EVs wrong.”

Farley predicted Tesla’s collapse once he and others at Ford understood the issue fully: the engineering bias towards internal combustion engines by default.

“I was absolutely stunned. … We didn’t know what was going on inside. [Tesla engineers’ ] minds. But now we understand. They had no prejudices. “We had bias,” Farley said.

Ultimately, Farley believed, electrification would excite Ford’s founder and namesake for the first time in a century.

“I always say, I think Henry Ford was bored as hell during the last 100 years at Ford,” he began.

“But if he went back to the company now, he’d be up all night. … He’d be working on the next EREV.” [extended range EV] before our team. Because I think as a founder, he was a fixer. He enjoyed this moment of transformation. That’s where we are right now.”

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