Ford announced earlier this week that it would delay or completely cancel several electric vehicle models in an effort to align with consumer trends and hone in on a more profitable business after losing billions chasing Tesla.
While it may not be the most ideal thing, it is the best strategy for Ford right now, as it will shift more toward hybrids, leaning on current EV offerings and stopping the bleeding on financials.
Ford was arguably the most committed when it came to legacy automakers. It had put forth a solid investment plan that would see it expand its EV offerings over the course of a decade, bringing exciting offerings to each market based on its needs.
Ford’s love affair with EVs softens as profitability and consumer trends take focus
However, being the most committed does not always mean the most successful. Ford had suffered tremendous losses in 2023 because of its overwhelming commitment to EVs, so much so that CEO Jim Farley admitted at one point that it was on the lower end of its investment range for electrification moving forward.
“We’ll probably be on the low end of that range,” Farley said earlier this year about the $8 billion to $9 billion investment range. “And we’re being very consistent about our discipline on profitability.”
But now, things have totally changed.
Earlier this week, Ford all but admitted that it simply did not have the time or the money to keep going with its EV commitment. It was costing it billions, and instead of chasing after Tesla, it did what it should do: chase after money to keep it afloat. As Van Wilder’s dad said in the movie, “Sometimes in life, you have to realize a poor investment and cut your losses.”
Ford made the right choice. It was going along with the EV goals too far and too hard. Honda’s executives said recently that you simply cannot force people to buy something they don’t want. Right now, Teslas are what people want, at least in the United States, as the automaker, despite a growing number of competitors, continues to hold a sizeable lead in market share over competitors.
The lack of a truly competitive EV offering that appeals to consumers is what the issue is. There needs to be a product that truly outperforms Tesla in every way. That’s how people will switch, and that’s how EVs will be worth it. This goes for all companies, not just Ford.
To be the best, you have to beat the best.
“We’re committed to creating long-term value by building a competitive and profitable business,” Ford’s Vice Chair and CFO John Lawler said earlier this week as the company announced its softening EV stance. “With pricing and margin compression, we’ve made the decision to adjust our product and technology roadmap and industrial footprint to meet our goal of reaching positive EBIT within the first 12 months of launch for all new models.”
It will still bring forward a variety of new models, including a new truck, in the coming years. But for now, it is best that Ford does what it needs to do: scale back its commitment to EVs and continue to rely and lean on the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, and E-Transit for the time being. The truth is that Ford simply did not and did not have enough of a consumer base that is interested in EVs, thus not justifying its mass commitment, and it might have cost them their business if it kept up the shtick.
From left to right: Ford’s F-150 Lightning, E-Transit van, and Mustang Mach-E (Credit: Ford)
Tempering its EV push and bringing new models as people want them is going to help Ford maintain capital while also softening the negative effects EVs have had on its financials. Ford has lost money on every EV it’s ever delivered to a customer, although it may not be the best thing for it to continue acting like things are all okay.
But in the meantime, Ford can do a few things to help consumers: offer affordable vehicles that cater to needs and develop a vehicle lineup that truly makes consumers on a massive scale consider things other than Tesla.
Leaning on classic names like the Mustang and F-150 and electrifying them might have won some people over. But it seems, especially with the popularity of the Bronco and Bronco Sport, Ford is missing a huge opportunity by not even hinting toward an EV version of the vehicle.
I think a lot of people might be disappointed, but this announcement seemed like it was coming sooner rather than later. As someone who has driven Fords and still owns one, I was hoping to make my next vehicle an electric Bronco. I have talked highly about the F-150 Lightning. But it is evident that it is still making a lot of its money selling the gas-powered F-Series and its other tried and true vehicle models.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
Tesla is adjusting one key detail of Robotaxi operations in Austin: service hours.
Tesla’s Robotaxi platform in Austin has been active since late June and has been running smoothly since then. It has its limits, as Tesla has set hours that Robotaxis can operate, as well as a distinct Service Area, also known as a geofence, which has expanded three times already.
While the geofence is currently approximately 170 square miles in size, Tesla has recently enabled freeway drives, which also necessitated an adjustment to the company’s strategy with its “Safety Monitors.”
Tesla explains why Robotaxis now have safety monitors in the driver’s seat
Traditionally, they sit in the passenger’s seat. During highway driving, they move to the driver’s seat.
These are just a few adjustments that have been made over the past two and a half months. Now, Tesla is adjusting the service hours of Robotaxi operation in Austin, but only slightly.
Tesla will now operate its Robotaxi ride-hailing service from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., extending the hours by two hours. It previously shut down at midnight.
🚨 Tesla Robotaxi operation in Austin now will end at 2 a.m., a two-hour extension from its previous end time of midnight.
Its new service hours are now 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. local time pic.twitter.com/wXdYO6ARPB
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 13, 2025
Tesla has implemented a variety of safeguards to ensure riders and drivers are safe during Robotaxi rides, and they have made it a point to adjust things when they feel confident that it will not cause any issues.
Many people have been critical of Robotaxi, especially because a person sits in the front of the car.
However, an accident or some type of mistake could do more damage to the autonomous travel sector than anything else. This would not just impact Tesla, but any company operating an autonomous ride-hailing service in the country.
News
Tesla Model Y ownership two weeks in: what I love and what I don’t
With any new car, I don’t really find things I dislike within the first few months; the novelty of a shiny new vehicle usually wears off eventually.
I am officially two weeks into Tesla ownership, having picked up my Model Y Long Range All-Wheel-Drive on Saturday, August 30. I have many things I really love, and I’ll do my best to come up with a few things I don’t, although I find that to be very difficult currently.
With any new car, I don’t really find things I dislike within the first few months; the novelty of a shiny new vehicle usually wears off eventually. In the past, I’ve had a car I only kept for nine months, but I loved it for the first two months. I am sure down the road, some things about the Tesla will bother me, but right now, I don’t have too much to complain about.
As for the things I love, I’ll try to keep it to just five, and as I continue to write about my ownership experience in the coming months, I’ll see if these things change.
A Quick Rundown
In the two weeks I have had my new Model Y, I have driven 783 miles. I have driven it manually, used Full Self-Driving, navigated tight city streets in Baltimore, and driven spiritedly on the winding back roads of Pennsylvania.
I traded my ICE vehicle for a Tesla Model Y: here’s how it went
I have had the opportunity to put it to the test in a variety of ways, and I feel like I have a great idea of this car and how it handles and drives just two weeks in.
Here’s my vehicle ownership lineage:
’98 VW Jetta K2 > 2002 Ford Taurus > 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid > 2019 Honda Civic > 2021 Ford Bronco Sport > 2026 Tesla Model Y https://t.co/BXTC9XThwe
— Joey Klender (@KlenderJoey) September 2, 2025
What I Love About My Tesla Model Y
I am only going to pick a handful of things, but do not take this list as a complete one. I truly have so many things I love about this car, but I want to mention the ones that are not necessarily “novelties.” I love the A/C seats, but it’s not something I feel deserves a mention here, because it would not likely sway someone to consider the car.
Instead, I want to highlight what I feel are things that truly set the Model Y apart from cars I’ve had in the past.
Tesla Full Self-Driving
Available on all Teslas, Full Self-Driving is something I use every day. It is not only a convenience thing, but it is also truly a fun feature to track improvements, and it’s been fun to show a lot of my friends who are not familiar with its capabilities just how safe and impressive it is.
My Fiancè and I have watched Full Self-Driving make slight changes in performance in the two weeks we’ve been using it. I tracked one instance on a Pennsylvania back road when the car stopped at an “Except Right Turn” Stop Sign. Initially, the car stopped, holding up traffic behind it. Just days later, FSD proceeded through that same Stop Sign cautiously, but without coming to a complete stop, which is the proper way to navigate through it.
I took the same route home last night as I did when I took this drive last week. FSD has *already* improved.
✅ Model Y did not stop at the “Except Right Turn” Stop Sign, and instead proceeded through at a confident, yet careful rate of speed in a safe manner
I believe the… https://t.co/E38lsipT46
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 11, 2025
This quick adjustment was very impressive, and it even caught the attention of my better half. I will say it has been very fun to watch her fall in love with this car after being very reluctant to watch me get rid of our Bronco Sport.
The Handling
Tesla refined the suspension with the new Model Y, and you can surely feel it. Coming from a larger SUV, I did miss being able to really push the limits of my car on a beautiful, sunny, and warm day, and the winding roads of Pennsylvania are calling me for a drive.
The way this car hugs turns and genuinely puts a smile on my face when I’m pushing it. Dare I say I like driving it more than I like it driving me?
Interior Storage
One of my biggest complaints about my Bronco Sport was that, despite being an SUV, it felt smaller than it was supposed to be. I had trouble fitting golf bags and luggage in the back without having other storage options. It led me to install a roof rack and get a cargo container. I would have to put longer clubs in the back seat so the bags could lie without clubs getting bent.
I don’t seem to have a significant problem with this in the Model Y. Plus, the frunk and the additional cargo under the floor of the trunk are great for bags and other things. It offers 10 cubic feet more of space with the seats down than the Bronco Sport does.
The Entertainment
Not only is the sound system in this car absolutely unbelievable, but I also really enjoy the Tesla Theater, which is really something that has revolutionized how we spend our time in the car.
Charging at the Superchargers has become a new way for us to spend time together. Even if it’s just 30 minutes, my Fiancé’s busy work schedule at the hospital means we don’t get to spend as much time together as we would like. The charging lets us go grab a snack, watch a movie or show in the car, and just be with each other.
It’s honestly my favorite thing about the car so far, that we’ve both truly enjoyed what it has done for us. It put a smile on my face to hear her say, “It’s just so much fun to be in this car” last night when we met friends for dinner.
What I Don’t Love
I’m just going to get nitpicky here, because I don’t have much to complain about.
The Paint
I love the Diamond Black, and it gets so many compliments. However, it sure does get dirty fast. I feel like I’m going to have to invest in a car wash membership or set aside time each week to clean it. This is not a Tesla-specific problem, of course.
Climate Control
Another “first-world problem,” but sometimes I do have trouble getting the A/C to go right where I need it. I feel like, to feel the air, I have to put the fan speed to 7 or higher.
Swing Mode has been a real savior in this sense, but my Fiancè sometimes complains that my cold air will hit her when she’s already freezing. I think this is just something I need to get used to, as the vents are significantly different than any other car. It’s really not that bad, but it is worth mentioning that we’ve both said we are still adjusting to it early on.
Tesla has ended the production and sale of a Cybertruck trim level that had many people scratching their heads. The move comes after slow sales on the trim, as many Cybertruck buyers opted for other configurations that seemed to be a better value for the money.
On Friday, Tesla officially brought closure to the Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck, a build that was introduced earlier this year at a lower price point than its All-Wheel-Drive counterparts, but missed many of the key features that made the Cybertruck, the Cybertruck.
Rolling the variant out at a price of $69,990, only $10,000 less than that of the All-Wheel-Drive configuration. However, it was also void of many other things:
- Single Motor
- Textile Seats instead of Leather
- 7-Speaker Audio System instead of 15-Speakers
- No Rear Touchscreen
- No Powered Tonneau Cover for Truck Bed
- No 120v/240v outlets
For $79,990, just $10,000 more, owners could receive all of these premium features, plus a more capable All-Wheel-Drive powertrain, which truly made this Rear-Wheel-Drive build of the Cybertruck a sitting duck for criticism.
It was simply not enough meat for the price, and demand was evidently low. From those I spoke to, orders were few and far between; people simply found more value in the All-Wheel-Drive configuration based solely on the additional motor. Adding all the premium interior and functionality features made it a no-brainer.
In a way, it seems Tesla was overly optimistic about the Rear-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck, but even after it was launched, plenty of loyal fans were confused by it:
AWD worth $10k more imo
— Zack (@BLKMDL3) April 11, 2025
Sorry. It just isn’t worth that much. I would buy the dual motor at that price, before incentives. I guess I’ll just have to wait longer. The old F150 still runs good. There is nothing compelling at that price point.
— Cat Herder (@Christo87184657) April 11, 2025
The Cybertruck is a great vehicle, and it is among the best vehicles in the company’s lineup. However, it really missed a price point for the Rear-Wheel-Drive configuration that was effective enough to drive people toward it. Many said they would have considered it if Tesla could have brought the price down into the high $40,000 or low $50,000 range.
I took a Tesla Cybertruck weekend Demo Drive – Here’s what I learned
It seems it just did not have the appeal to keep up. Now, Tesla has the All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast for $72,490 and $114,990, respectively.
Tesla adjusts one key detail of Robotaxi operations in Austin
Tesla Model Y ownership two weeks in: what I love and what I don’t
Tesla brings closure to head-scratching Cybertruck trim
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