Ford Motor Company announced today that it is rescheduling the launch of upcoming electric vehicles at its assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario, while continuing to convert existing assembly plants and construct greenfields as part of an advanced industrial system designed to produce its next-generation electric vehicles.
“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 president and CEO. “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.”
The corporation is still investing in a wide range of EV programs in its endeavor to develop an all-EV lineup.
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These programs aid in the establishment of a distinctive and steadily expanding EV business over time, as Ford provides customers with the ideal blend of gas, hybrid, and electric vehicles in response to current market demand.
Ford is simultaneously increasing the number of hybrid electric vehicles it offers.
The business anticipates having hybrid powertrains available in North America for its Ford Blue lineup by the decade’s end. For the first quarter of 2024, Ford had a 42% increase in hybrid sales and an 86% increase in sales of electric vehicles over the previous year.
As scheduled, the second quarter will see the start of Oakville Assembly Plant’s extensive renovation from a gas car assembly facility to an electric vehicle manufacturing complex.
Ford is still prepping to introduce its all-new three-row electric vehicles to the market at the Oakville, Ontario, assembly plant. The corporation has stated that it will reschedule this debut from 2025 to 2027.
According to Ford, the three-row EV consumer market will grow with time, and Ford will be able to capitalize on new developments in battery technology.
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“We value our Canadian teammates and appreciate that this delay will have an impact on this excellent team,” Farley said. “We are fully committed to manufacturing in Canada and believe this decision will help us build a profitably growing business for the long term.”
The company will work with Unifor to mitigate the impact the launch delay will have on its workforce at Oakville.
“We are committed to taking care of our valued Oakville employees through this transition,” said Bev Goodman, president and CEO, Ford Canada. “While this change requires a revision to the timeline, it will support a viable and growing future for our company, employees and dealers.”
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