While Ford is one of the top automakers on the planet and has been for many years now, a number of new EV startups such as Rivian are posing a threat serious enough to the automaker that CEO Jim Farley has publically recognized those young companies as serious rivals. However, there are benefits to being a legacy automaker that’s been in business for over a century, as Farley recently pointed out during a virtual fireside chat with auto analyst Rod Lache at the Wolfe Research Global Auto, Auto Tech, and Mobility Conference.
“We are better at body engineering and paint than any of the startups,” Farley said when asked about how Ford can compete with those younger companies. “And they would love to have Ford’s know-how. They would love…ask [Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe] RJ right now, how much he would love to have our body shop and body engineering team.”
Ford and Rivian, specifically, have enjoyed an interesting relationship over the last few years after the former has invested in the latter on multiple occasions. Those investments were supposed to eventually spawn a Ford EV riding on Rivian’s Skateboard platform, but those plans were scrapped late last year as FoMoCo gained confidence in its ability to build electric vehicles from the ground up.
Meanwhile, Rivian has struggled to ramp up production at its Normal, Illinois plant amid the chip shortage and other supply chain constraints, though the automaker is confident that it will be able to seize 10 percent of the overall EV market by 2030. Rivian is currently working to erect a massive second production facility outside of Atlanta, Georgia to help reach that goal, but has faced fierce local opposition to the project in recent weeks.
We’ll have more on Rivian and Ford’s relationship soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Rivian news and 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
All this blathering about quality why not force everyone to take a course of quality control concepts laid down over 100 years ago by Walter Shewart. I mean everyone from secretary’s to the top. Everyone should have a copy of his concepts and while it might be difficult for many to grasp his concepts initially teaching a 1 hour course once a week would prove that management means it and it’s not just TALK.
My grandfather worked for Ford at the Edgewater assembly plant and I remember going to Ford’s 50th anniversary party at Palisades Park in NJ so I owe you all that. BTW I drive a 1991 Lincoln LSC with 42000 on the clock. It’s the BEST car ever made.
Go Ford, Please keep up the good work and keep the dividens coming. I have 9,000 shares and got $4,500 dividen last year. That was really nice.
The last time a person told me what I needed instead of letting me pick my own car was at a Ford dealership. I promptly left that dealer and went elsewhere and ordered the car I wanted from a pleased salesperson.