Ford CEO Jim Farley calls on the United States to rally behind EVs

Electric vehicles may be mainstream today, but they are still polarizing for many, particularly “petrol heads” who love the internal combustion engine. As per Ford CEO Jim Farley in a recent post on social media, however, even “car guys” such as himself could fall in love with electric cars. They just have to give EVs a chance. 

Farley highlighted that the automotive sector is in a race for the future of transportation, so the US should not concede its leadership. “We are in a global race to compete in a future where electric propulsion will undoubtedly be a giant force in transportation. America cannot cede innovation leadership to China, Europe, or any other region,” Farley wrote. 

The executive urged consumers to try out electric vehicles for themselves. Farley explained that he fell in love with electric cars not because of government policies or politics. Instead, he fell in love with EVs because he owns one himself — a Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum. And as per the Ford CEO, the Lightning’s performance and unique feature set make owning the vehicle simple and convenient. 

“It is astonishingly quiet and smooth. The effortless acceleration leaves you with a silly grin once you get the feeling back in your face. Every morning, mine is topped up with 300 miles of range. No gas stations, ever. What’s more, my F-150 Lightning has a massive, lockable frunk to go along with the pickup bed. And the Lightning works like a mobile generator that can power a worksite, campsite, tailgate, or even another electric vehicle, or power my home,” Farley wrote. 

The Ford CEO also admitted that there is a lot of disinformation and misunderstandings about electric cars today. But inasmuch as EVs receive a lot of criticism today, Farley noted that he has seen something similar unfold in the past when Ford shifted the F-150’s body to aluminum. Ford’s decision to go for aluminum was proven right, but the company received a lot of criticism for it. 

“It takes time for innovations to take hold. But when they do, the shift is profound and lasting. I believe the next great shift for vehicles will be toward software-defined and electric vehicles,” the CEO noted. 

The Ford CEO highlighted that EVs are already a preferable solution for the vast majority of mainstream car buyers. After all, electric cars are becoming more affordable and their ownership costs are simply cheaper than those of comparable ICE cars.  Most importantly, Farley noted that consumers seem to love EVs as long as they experience them.

“Most compellingly, once people try an electric vehicle, they usually don’t want to go back. Nearly 70% of global electric vehicle owners say they’ll only buy electric vehicles in the future,” Farley wrote. 

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