Ford Establishes New Product Creation and Industrialization Organization to Scale Next-Gen Vehicles and Technology
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Ford forms a new end-to-end organization, Product Creation and Industrialization, uniting its advanced technology and global industrial teams
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The new organization led by COO
Kumar Galhotra will help accelerate the Ford+ plan and its target of an 8% adjusted EBIT margin by 2029 by delivering one of the most intensive product, software, and services rollouts in Ford’s history
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Alan Clarke is named vice president, Advanced Development Projects; he will continue leading theCalifornia -basedAdvanced Electric Vehicle Development team that created Ford’s efficient, affordable Universal Electric Vehicle platform.Ford will leverage the team for future vehicle and technology programs
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Doug Field , chief EV, digital, and design officer, to departFord next month after nearly five years leading innovation and driving cultural change into the company
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Kieran Cahill , vice president, manufacturing,Europe and IMG, is retiring fromFord after a 37-year career of leading quality and manufacturing excellence
The new structure, which integrates Ford’s Electric Vehicle, Digital and Design team with its global Industrial System, is a key lever in achieving the company’s Ford+ objectives, including its target of an 8% adjusted EBIT margin by 2029.
“This is the culmination of years of work and progress to create the modern
Delivering Value Through Scale and Services
By creating the Product Creation and Industrialization team,
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Massive Portfolio Renewal: By 2029,
Ford will refresh 80% of its North American portfolio by volume and 70% of its global portfolio by volume. This includes the first vehicle on the Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, a mid-sized pickup, and the next-generation F-150 and F-Series Super Duty. - The “Skunkworks” Breakthrough: The UEV platform represents a step-change in efficiency, affordability and digital experiences. It features an ultra-efficient powertrain and a groundbreaking fully zonal architecture with in-house software controls and ADAS that supports a wide range of vehicle types and battery chemistries. Its design utilizes “unicastings” to reduce weight and complexity, enabling a new, more efficient assembly process. The UEV project is also a valuable laboratory for modernizing Ford’s global development systems – from advanced CAD tools to physics-based cost modeling that are being applied to reduce expenses across Ford’s highest volume product lines. The program has also brought in new suppliers from outside the traditional auto industry.
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Always-Improving Experiences: By 2030, 90% of Ford’s vehicles by volume will feature updated electrical architectures, in-house developed user experiences and hardware, and next-generation over-the-air capabilities for continuous improvement in experiences and services. This foundation enables the rapid rollout of BlueCruise and the
Ford Digital Experience, providing a scalable path toward future Level 3 autonomous driving. -
Electrification: Nearly 90 percent of Ford’s global nameplates will offer electrified powertrains by 2030. This will include advanced hybrids, extended-range electric vehicles, and fully electric vehicles. The UEV platform has already yielded breakthroughs such as high-efficiency motors that will improve future hybrids, and established the Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery engineering capability that now serves as the foundation for Ford’s stationary energy storage business,
Ford Energy.
Leadership Transitions and Moves
“The progress our teams have made in the past few years – from quality and cost to software delivery – has fundamentally reshaped the way we work and positioned
“I'm honored to have been a part of leading
Field said he looks forward to sharing learnings from his unique career in his next chapter. “I have been incredibly lucky to be at the center of disruption and innovation at Apple, Tesla, and now
Said Farley: “Doug has been an invaluable partner for me as CEO and helped
Reflecting on Kieran’s career, Galhotra commented, “Kieran has devoted nearly four decades to
About
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Statements included or incorporated by reference herein may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, forecasts, and assumptions by our management and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated, including, without limitation:
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Ford may face increased price competition for its products and services, including pricing pressure resulting from industry excess capacity, currency fluctuations, competitive actions, legal and policy changes, or economic or other factors, particularly for electrified vehicles; -
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Economic and demographic experience for pension and OPEB plans (e.g., discount rates or investment returns) could be worse than
Ford has assumed; - Pension and other postretirement liabilities could adversely affect Ford’s liquidity and financial condition;
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Ford andFord Credit have experienced and could continue to experience unusual or significant litigation, governmental investigations, or adverse publicity arising out of alleged defects in products, services, perceived environmental impacts, or otherwise; -
Ford may need to substantially modify its product plans and facilities to respond to shifting consumer sentiment and competitive dynamics as a result of policy changes affecting, or otherwise to comply with, safety, emissions, fuel economy, autonomous driving technology, environmental, and other regulations; -
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