A few years ago, Ford announced that it would be converting the Oakville Assembly plant in Canada for the production of future all-electric vehicles, a move that meant it would be moving Lincoln Nautilus production to China and discontinuing the Ford Edge altogether. Later, we learned that one of those new Ford EV models destined for Oakville would be a new three-row crossover – believed to be based on the Ford Explorer – though production of that model was later pushed back due to battery costs and declining demand. Now, it seems as if the three-row Ford EV won’t be built in Oakville, after all.
This morning, The Blue Oval announced that it will begin building the Ford Super Duty at Oakville in 2026, making it the third such facility to do so. However, Unifor – which represents workers at Oakville – also essentially stated that the planned three-row Ford EV won’t be built there alongside it.
“Production at the Oakville plant ceased with the final Ford Edge rolling off the assembly line in May 2024,” the union said in a statement. “Super Duty truck production will replace previous production plans to build Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) in Oakville. In April 2024 the Company announced its decision to delay the launch of BEV production from 2025 to 2027. The delay would have resulted in Unifor Local 707 members being laid off for more than three years.”
This isn’t the first time the future three-row Ford EV has been moved, either. In fact, originally, The Blue Oval planned to build that model at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant, after which it moved it to the Ohio Assembly Plant, though it later changed those plans, too. As Ford Authority reported in 2021, that model was then expected to be produced alongside the Ford Mustang Mach-E at the Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico, a decision that prompted the United Auto Workers (UAW) union to accuse the automaker of “corporate greed.”
We’ll have more on the future of the three-row Ford EV soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
So is the edge coming back? 🙏🏽
I really dislike Ford’s leadership these days. Everything is so short-sighted. I’ll admit I don’t know what Super Duty supply/demand is, but it seems they just threw it at Oakville because their short-sighted plans on the EVs didn’t pan out, and now they have a union plant with no work. Yet a new-gen Edge/Nautilus with hybrid and maybe even PHEV variants would have actually done better for them than pure EVs, and now they have egg on their face.
I question their decisions as well. The CEO talks about smaller vehicles, especially concerning EVs, but the EV Explorer is being offered in Europe, not here. The Ranger is smaller than the F150 and would be perfect for someone that doesn’t want a huge truck. So, where are the smaller vehicles? GM is offering a few REAL EV suvs and if and when I get ready for an EV I wont be going to Ford because they dont offer what I want.
Flat Rock? This vehicle was originally slated to go there, then it was assigned to Ohio Assembly, and then Oakville.
So, they’re STILL fussing relentlessly over new EVs while the rest of the lineup falls into disrepair. Brilliant.
Ford has no idea what so ever how to run a business, Iam surprised they are still in business. Iam sure Honda or VW will buy Ford soon, VW was it only for the truck line up and if they get it all the rest will be dumped except trucks.
As said in previous posting;
BringItBack July 18, 2024 at 12:58 PM
So is the edge coming back? 🙏🏽
We can only hope that Ford changes their mind and brings it back to Canada. Or, at least bring the Edge back to production!
We loved our ’18 Edge Titanium and now have a ’24 Edge ST because we heard Edge was going away. ST is Fun and Exciting to drive! With the 2.7 L Turbo it leaves many sports cars wondering what happened.