Ford’s best opportunity to exploit the competition being hobbled by tariffs, to my eye, was expanding the daylights out of Escape production in Louisville. Yes, the 2023 contract called for retooling the plant for EVs in 2026, but this is a heck of an opportunity to keep making Escapes, for another year or two.
Nope. Ford is pressing ahead with the EVs. They will lose about 200,000 units/year, compared to existing sales, then replace the Escape with something, they aren’t saying what, that probably will only sell at a fraction of the rate.
This is all very reminiscent of the honchos at RS, who refused to acknowledge that the market had changed.
https://fordauthority.com/2025/06/ford-louisville-assembly-details-confirm-plant-retooling-for-evs/
Steve