Ford is changing its EV strategy: Instead of 2026 and 2027, the new E-Transit electric van and the all-electric full-size pickup – the successor to the F-150 Lightning – will now roll off the assembly line in 2028. The pickup is to be produced at the BlueOval City plant in Tennessee, and the E-Transit at the Ohio plant.
The manufacturer cites a strategic shift as the reason for the delay. The new motto is "smaller, cheaper, simpler" – a reaction to the growing price pressure from Chinese manufacturers. This also affects the passenger car range and would align with statements for Ford Europe, according to which they do not want to exit the EU market – but
will likely continue to cooperate with partners (like VW with Explorer and Capri) in the EU. Despite Trump, Ford CEO Jim Farley thankfully still thinks internationally. He analyzes:
"The market for pure electric cars in the USA is clear for us: small vehicles for commuters and urban traffic."
In fact, wealthier and larger households often have several vehicles, including EVs, which are used as "daily drivers" in the "urban area," which in the USA can sometimes encompass 500 square kilometers: People "commute" there 50 or 100 kilometers back and forth, for which an EV is suitable given sometimes extremely low electricity prices. The best-selling electric pickup in the USA, the current F-150 Lightning, remains in the lineup,
as does the E-Transit.
Ford continues to incur losses in the EV division
The "pause" does not come out of the blue: In 2023, Ford already stopped the development of a three-row electric SUV. Added to this are cost concerns – alone in the electric car and software sector, losses of up to $5.5 billion are threatened by 2025 – and an inglorious recall record in recent years. On August 11, 2025, in Kentucky, Ford provides a closer look at its future electric models and technologies.
New EV Development Center – in California, not Detroit
While large models have to wait, the future mode is running in Long Beach, California: At the new Electric Vehicle Development Center
(EVDC), an interdisciplinary team is working on the next generation of electric vehicles. Senior Technical Program Manager Anne Diep and her colleagues focus on "simplicity, efficiency, and enthusiasm."
The campus, which is over 23,220 square meters, offers design studios, hi-tech labs, workshops, and even an outdoor area for spontaneous idea sessions – with Rosie’s Dog Beach around the corner for the necessary creative outlet. The goal: E-cars that are as accessible as a smartphone – only with wheels.
What does this mean?
Ford is also rethinking its EV strategy and postponing large complex models in the USA. The future belongs to cheaper, smaller models there as well. This should also be welcomed by Ford fans and dealers
