Ford CEO Thinks Chinese EVs Could Hit The U.S. Within 5 To 10 Years: Report

In an employee town hall, Ford CEO Jim Farley reportedly said that Chinese EVs could hit U.S. soil in as little as five years.

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Rob Stumpf

By: Rob Stumpf

Jul 31, at 11:36am ET

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Chinese EVs could hit U.S. soil in as little as five years, Ford CEO Jim Farley reportedly said this week.
Trade barriers and bans on Chinese tech are a roadblock today.
Ford's executives reportedly warned employees this week that it predicts Chinese EVs would still enter the American market.

China's quest for global automotive domination isn't letting up. And despite all of the protectionist measures taken by the federal government to prevent Chinese EVs from hitting the U.S. market, some auto executives believe that it's only a matter of time.

Ford CEO Jim Farley reportedly told employees this week that the Blue Oval is preparing for exactly that battle, and he put a timeline on it. According to a report from Reuters, Farley and other Ford executives confirmed that the automaker is anticipating that Chinese brands will enter the U.S. market within the next decade. That's despite the trade barriers, bans on Chinese vehicle technology, and a bill advanced by the U.S. Senate recently.

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Farley has repeatedly sounded alarm bells about China's auto market bleeding into the U.S.—more than his counterparts at other automakers. He's gone as far to say that Chinese EVs "should not [be let] into our country." But the timeline is new. Ford's leadership reportedly anticipates Chinese EVs will hit the States within the next five to 10 years, and probably toward the end of that time span. A company spokesperson declined to comment on the private employee meeting, according to Reuters.

Between five and 10 years is a pretty broad timeline, but it may be sooner than many anticipated, especially given the many barriers to entry that are in place today. After all, Polestar was just forced out of the U.S. market by a ban on Chinese vehicle technology that was finalized at the end of the Biden administration. Congress is building on that with a bill that targets car companies with over a 15% Chinese ownership stake.

China's fast-moving car companies are already ahead in many ways. By 10 years from now, the gap could be even greater. A decade is an eternity for modern Chinese automakers. China has managed to cut down vehicle development cycles to as low as 18 months, which is light speed compared to the Western development cycle of between five and seven years. It's part of the reason that China's domestic car market is so oversaturated—and why 650 new Chinese EV models sprung up this year so far.

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Meanwhile, the walls are closing in on American automakers. Both Canada and Mexico permit for Chinese EVs to be sold in their markets and consumer interest in affordable battery-electric cars has shot up in recent months.

Ford's answer to all of this an EV platform designed from the ground up to compete with EV startups and the Chinese. The Universal EV Platform's first model, a midsized pickup truck, goes on sale in 2027.

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