Ford Motor is reportedly planning to postpone producing its all-electric SUVs and pickup trucks in favour of concentrating on providing hybrid alternatives for every model year starting in 2030.
The decision is made in the context of an overall slowdown in the automobile industry’s adoption of electric vehicles. The American automaker announced that it is delaying the manufacturing of its three-row SUV from 2025 to 2027, but it will still be investing in electric vehicles. Similarly, the manufacture of the ‘T3’, the next generation electric pickup, was supposed to start in 2025 but has been put back to 2026.
In the first quarter of this year, Ford came in second place in terms of EV sales, after Tesla. But when it came to total company sales, Tesla and the Hyundai Group (Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis) outsold Ford, which came in third.
“As the No. 2 EV brand in the U.S. for the past two years, we are committed to scaling a profitable EV business, using capital wisely and bringing to market the right gas, hybrid and fully electric vehicles at the right time”, said Jim Farley, Ford’s chief executive officer.
“The additional time will allow for the consumer market for three-row EVs to further develop and enable Ford to take advantage of emerging battery technology, with the goal to provide customers increased durability and better value”, read a statement from Ford.
“Our breakthrough, next-generation EVs will be new from the ground up and fully software enabled, with ever-improving digital experiences and a multitude of potential services.” Added Farley.
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