Ford has ditched plans to build electric vehicles at its Oakville Assembly plant in Canada, shifting the manufacturing strategy there to cater to gas-powered F-Series pickups.
Ford’s plans to build three-row electric SUVs at the plant were postponed from 2025 to 2027 as the company adjusted its expectations for EV sales as demand started to hinder.
It still plans to build those EVs in 2027, but the location of manufacturing is now unknown as Oakville will be used to build pickups.
CEO Jim Farley discussed the decision, noting that Super Duty demand is high and with production in Kentucky and Ohio “running flat out,” Ford still cannot keep up with consumer interest:
“Super Duty is a vital tool for businesses and people around the world and, even with our Kentucky Truck Plant and Ohio Assembly Plant running flat out, we can’t meet the demand. At the same time, we look forward to introducing three-row electric utility vehicles.”
Automakers with a variety of different manufacturing locations have the flexibility to adjust production plans, and Ford is using it to its advantage.
Ford has established itself as the true number two in terms of electric vehicle sales in the United States, only trailing Tesla. However, in the grand scheme of things, Ford has struggled to really gain any sort of momentum in terms of its Model e division, which handles all things EV.
In 2023, Ford pulled back its investment commitment to EVs as it lost $4.7 billion on the powertrain. It expects to lose $5.5 billion this year.
Ford has leaned on its trucks to bolster its profitability, as the F-Series has been America’s best-selling truck for 47 straight years. Ford makes roughly $10,000 to $13,000 per F-150 sold, and as it sells roughly 800,000 units a year, it makes around $8 billion alone on this specific pickup.
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