Article: Ford CEO Jim Farley prepares for 'way smaller' EV market than expected

[Bayviews88]

Article posted this morning by Car Dealership Guy, an anonymous industry insider headlines Ford’s response to the October 1st end to the EV tax credit. Changes include previously announced delays in new Ford EV models; new plans by Ford Credit to purchase EVs prior to 10/01 to pass on $7500 credit to customers after October 1st - are they still considered new?

Ford CEO Jim Farley prepares for 'way smaller' EV market than expected

With the federal EV tax credit now expired, Ford’s CEO Jim Farley is warning that U.S. EV sales could plunge from 10–12% of the market to as low as 5%.
To cushion dealers, Ford Credit will buy EVs in inventory, capture the $7,500 lease credit, and pass it through to customers for a few more months.
Longer term, Ford is delaying new EV launches until 2028 while retooling for a mid-size, affordable electric truck—a “Model T Moment” Farley says will anchor the brand’s EV reset.
Bottom line: Dealers get short-term lease relief, but the bigger story is Ford recalibrating expectations for a slower, affordability-driven EV transition.
(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

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[AnimalChin]

Helsinki Stockholm by Munchausen. The ICE people have been brainwashed. You can't help them.

 

[Doobster6]

Helsinki Stockholm by Munchausen. The ICE people have been brainwashed. You can't help them.

I’m pretty sure that historians would describe a similar culture war occurring in the early 1900s as the fledgling automobile industry confronted stubborn people who thought that “…those noisy confounded contraptions [that frequently broke down, BTW) will never replace a horse..”. I remember recently seeing a before and after photo taken in some city (NYC?) in 1907 and then again in 1917. In the earlier picture dozens of horse-drawn wagons populated the street while only a single auto could ne found if you looked hard enough. Ten years later the situation was virtually reversed; 90% cars annd trucks and a couple of horses.
This kind of change simply takes time, especially when hugely powerful corporations have entrenched interests in their current capital investments. But this disruption is inevitable, especially when one considers that the world’s oil supply is not infinite, and what’s left of it should be harvested for producing the many products that spring from oil and oil derivatives, and not for providing energy to light up cities or propel vehicles. China and Europe are now sadly leading the world to EVs and alternative fuels the way the US once used to, but we will ultimately get there.
All it usually takes to convince an ICE head to consider an EV is to have them drive one. The woods are full of stories of how amazed they are with the instant, silent torque. Then they’re shown the plug in the garage that keeps you away from gas stations while quietly charging the car overnight and, like the guy committed to his horse, they can’t ultimately deny the obvious arguments that favor EVs. It will just take time.

 

[RobbH]

I had high hopes when Ford announced the MachE and then the Lightning but it felt like Ford gave up on EVs when Lightning sales dropped after the initial surge. I hope that the upcoming assembly line innovations pay off but we will be replacing our Crosstrek soon and all of Ford‘s new EVs seem to be 3 years away.

 

[ChrisO]

Helsinki Stockholm by Munchausen. The ICE people have been brainwashed. You can't help them.

Brainwashing for sure, but I think that the cost is the thing that is really holding the average person back.

 

[Tampamike]

I had high hopes when Ford announced the MachE and then the Lightning but it felt like Ford gave up on EVs when Lightning sales dropped after the initial surge. I hope that the upcoming assembly line innovations pay off but we will be replacing our Crosstrek soon and all of Ford‘s new EVs seem to be 3 years away.

There are those new Subaru EV’s - seem to be better than the first go.

 

[RobbH]

There are those new Subaru EV’s - seem to be better than the first go.

We had a reservation for the first gen but it was such a bad EV I couldn’t pull the trigger. The final straw was when Toyota (maker of the Subaru tech) were asked if the “doesn’t fast charge below 32°” in the tech specs was correct they just replied that it was and that most people charge at home so it shouldn’t be an issue . The new ones are better but I’m still soured on their EVs so I’d rather wait for the Rivian R2 next year.

I shouldn’t complain though, the EV space in 2025 is SO much better than 2021. I’m just impatient lol

 

[MellowJohnny]

Helsinki Stockholm by Munchausen. The ICE people have been brainwashed. You can't help them.

Did they ever find you?

 

[nvabill]

I’m pretty sure that historians would describe a similar culture war occurring in the early 1900s as the fledgling automobile industry confronted stubborn people who thought that “…those noisy confounded contraptions [that frequently broke down, BTW) will never replace a horse..”. I remember recently seeing a before and after photo taken in some city (NYC?) in 1907 and then again in 1917. In the earlier picture dozens of horse-drawn wagons populated the street while only a single auto could ne found if you looked hard enough. Ten years later the situation was virtually reversed; 90% cars annd trucks and a couple of horses.
This kind of change simply takes time, especially when hugely powerful corporations have entrenched interests in their current capital investments. But this disruption is inevitable, especially when one considers that the world’s oil supply is not infinite, and what’s left of it should be harvested for producing the many products that spring from oil and oil derivatives, and not for providing energy to light up cities or propel vehicles. China and Europe are now sadly leading the world to EVs and alternative fuels the way the US once used to, but we will ultimately get there.
All it usually takes to convince an ICE head to consider an EV is to have them drive one. The woods are full of stories of how amazed they are with the instant, silent torque. Then they’re shown the plug in the garage that keeps you away from gas stations while quietly charging the car overnight and, like the guy committed to his horse, they can’t ultimately deny the obvious arguments that favor EVs. It will just take time.

The difference is that automobiles could do more and go faster than horses whereas EV's are actually slower on a trip when you factor in time to recharge/fuel compared to an ICE vehicle. Bottom line until EV's can be recharged as fast as an ICE vehicle can be refueled they are a compromise not an advancement.

 

[astrorob]

Ten years later the situation was virtually reversed; 90% cars annd trucks and a couple of horses.
This kind of change simply takes time, especially when hugely powerful corporations have entrenched interests in their current capital investments.

it gives me hope that things didn't turn out so well for Big Horse.

 

[Snakebitten]

The USA is and always was going to be a tougher EV nut to crack. It's just a very different culture with a huge dose of individual freedom mindset.

While they can be incentivized to some degree, preaching at them or threatening them doesn't get the results it might get elsewhere.

Anyone who truly wants an EV in the USA probably has one. So should Ford ignore the facts and build more than the US consumer demand?

I absolutely love my Mach-E. I'm so impressed with what Ford built while they were drunk on the EV wine. But I think the hangover is real and they aren't playing the same game that led to the Mach-E.

By the way, I thank Tesla for the Mach-E. If it wasn't for the Tesla wave, which almost the whole automotive world seemed to have caught at the time, I just don't think my daily grin maker would even exist.

I'm honestly not miffed that my family and friends just don't get it. And they certainly don't seem to.

 

[nvabill]

The USA is and always was going to be a tougher EV nut to crack. It's just a very different culture with a huge dose of individual freedom mindset.

While they can be incentivized to some degree, preaching at them or threatening them doesn't get the results it might get elsewhere.

Anyone who truly wants an EV in the USA probably has one. So should Ford ignore the facts and build more than the US consumer demand?

I absolutely love my Mach-E. I'm so impressed with what Ford built while they were drunk on the EV wine. But I think the hangover is real and they aren't playing the same game that led to the Mach-E.

By the way, I thank Tesla for the Mach-E. If it wasn't for the Tesla wave, which almost the whole automotive world seemed to have caught at the time, I just don't think my daily grin maker would even exist.

I'm honestly not miffed that my family and friends just don't get it. And they certainly don't seem to.

Exactly, it’s all about choice, want an EV then buy one, don’t want an EV, then don’t buy one. Choice, that’s what it’s all about.

 

[Mach1E]

I’m pretty sure that historians would describe a similar culture war occurring in the early 1900s as the fledgling automobile industry confronted stubborn people who thought that “…those noisy confounded contraptions [that frequently broke down, BTW) will never replace a horse..”. I remember recently seeing a before and after photo taken in some city (NYC?) in 1907 and then again in 1917. In the earlier picture dozens of horse-drawn wagons populated the street while only a single auto could ne found if you looked hard enough. Ten years later the situation was virtually reversed; 90% cars annd trucks and a couple of horses.
This kind of change simply takes time, especially when hugely powerful corporations have entrenched interests in their current capital investments. But this disruption is inevitable, especially when one considers that the world’s oil supply is not infinite, and what’s left of it should be harvested for producing the many products that spring from oil and oil derivatives, and not for providing energy to light up cities or propel vehicles. China and Europe are now sadly leading the world to EVs and alternative fuels the way the US once used to, but we will ultimately get there.
All it usually takes to convince an ICE head to consider an EV is to have them drive one. The woods are full of stories of how amazed they are with the instant, silent torque. Then they’re shown the plug in the garage that keeps you away from gas stations while quietly charging the car overnight and, like the guy committed to his horse, they can’t ultimately deny the obvious arguments that favor EVs. It will just take time.

Those same historians will remind you that EVs were being sold right along side ICE cars back then too.

Why didn’t EVs make it 120 years ago? Because they were too expensive, lacked range, were slow to charge and lacked charging infrastructure.

Sound familiar?

Electric motors are amazing now. Batteries still suck and aren’t great for the environment either.

What we need is a better fuel source to propel the electric motors. Not trying to just make a “better battery.”

It isn’t a lack of awareness that keeps someone from buying an EV. It’s the price and their individual use case.

 

[cooltatts]

Ford CEO Jim Farley prepares for 'way smaller' EV market than expected

With the federal EV tax credit now expired, Ford’s CEO Jim Farley is warning that U.S. EV sales could plunge from 10–12% of the market to as low as 5%.

I truly believe this will be good for EV adoption. The US has made this a political issue for far too long and once people have choice free of influence the market will adapt to the superior solution. I live in Ontario Canada and we haven’t had any incentives since January. I bought my Mach-E in April and am glad it wasn’t subsidized. Ford gave me enough competitive offers to more than cover the amount taxes would have provided.

Plus, I feel I want to keep it long-term and not flip it. I think that’s what’s undermining EV depreciation. People flipping for another rebate.

My car, my decision and zero feelings of living off the charity of others with a handout.

 

[lightningguy]

Brainwashing for sure, but I think that the cost is the thing that is really holding the average person back.

Sorry, but I completely agree on brainwashing but disagree on cost. Average new car price is ~$48k in the US in 2025. A Mach-E without the tax credit starts at $40k. The problem is twofold- we still lack a decent infrastructure for charging (more than 20% of Americans live in apartments, without an overnight charging option), and the misinformation is real. Many US dealerships don’t want to sell EVs because they don’t make money on service, which is a huge problem. And probably the biggest problem: people are scared of change.

There is a perception that prices are the problem, but if you compare features (apples to apples), I don’t see it. My Lightning cost almost exactly the same price (before the tax credit) as a similarly-equipped gas f150. The tax credit just made it a no-brainer.

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