Ford's advanced EV-and-tech chief (Doug Field) to leave the company

[ka-chow]

Thoughts? : /

https://www.reuters.com/business/au...d-ev-and-tech-chief-leave-company-2026-04-15/

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[RickLightning]

https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/15/ford-ev-and-tech-chief-leaving-automaker/

So how much does Farley believe in new platform?

 

[Altivec]

I mean... Can you blame him for leaving... If the CEO doesn't believe your flagship model needs to have an EV variant, especially when you already have one and have been working on the next gen version of it for years, only for it to all be cancelled on whim. I know I would be out of there too.

 

[Lightning Rod]

 

[TaxmanHog]

https://fordauthority.com/2026/04/c...-with-ford-exec-amid-farleys-anti-ev-comments

 

[RickLightning]

I mean... Can you blame him for leaving... If the CEO doesn't believe your flagship model needs to have an EV variant, especially when you already have one and have been working on the next gen version of it for years, only for it to all be cancelled on whim. I know I would be out of there too.

Zero chance he left on his own IMO. Zero.

 

[Astrotrain00]

Sounds like the whole EV division is being merged into other depts.

https://electrek.co/2026/04/15/ford-doug-field-leaves-ev-unit-dissolved/

 

[jobofly79]

The CEO is a moron. I don’t blame him for leaving.

 

[RickLightning]

Field...

 

[ka-chow]

What in the world is going on inside of Ford? Aren’t people on both sides of the fence concerned what Farley is gonna do from one week to the next? It’s pretty disheartening.

https://fordauthority.com/2026/04/c...-with-ford-exec-amid-farleys-anti-ev-comments

 

[djwildstar]

Thoughts?

I see this (and folding the EV unit back into the rest of the company) as indications that Ford has essentially given up on EVs. In other words, while Ford may produce a few EV models in relatively low volumes, it doesn't expect that EVs will be a significant part of the business for the foreseeable future.

If so, the ideal strategy would be to wall off the US market from international (mainly Chinese) EV competition, and extract maximum profits from it by selling large gas-powered vehicles. What happens after that when the wall fails will be a problem for the next Ford CEO.

 

[The Weatherman]

Next! See ya later Jim.

 

[rembrant]

I mean... Can you blame him for leaving... If the CEO doesn't believe your flagship model needs to have an EV variant, especially when you already have one and have been working on the next gen version of it for years, only for it to all be cancelled on whim. I know I would be out of there too.

I think Farley is a fool for canceling the EV next generation models. Especially when the gas prices are so high it’s proving that EV cars are cheaper to drive. I don’t blame Doug , I blame the CEO.

 

[IdaHome]

I think Farley is a fool for canceling the EV next generation models. Especially when the gas prices are so high it’s proving that EV cars are cheaper to drive. I don’t blame Doug , I blame the CEO.

I agree this seems so short-sighted. Seems like so many bad choices made for very “today” reasons with no analysis of “tomorrow.”

Where are all the smart people that can see down the road? That can see that EVs are where most vehicles will need to be in even 3-5 years for so many reasons.

I must admit I am wary of the new platform as well - trying to out Tesla at being Tesla isn’t the answer either. So many of the guys associated with Tesla like Field and Clarke were driving the project. Now I don’t know if that’s what they are developing, perhaps it really will be the next great thing. But cancelling Lightning and not iterating it (to simplify, improve, probably switching to LFP, etc.) does not bode well. It seems clear at least to me as an unformed driver/consumer that the future for Ford is to build Ford/Chevy/Ram types vehicles that average people actually want to drive and can connect with. Iterate over and over again with quality products you’ve already developed to get the tech and prices down. Refresh and develop up and down the product line from city cars to full-size trucks.

What drew me to my Lightning was that it was a real truck, shared so much with the F-150, didn’t look like a Cybertruck. Friends that had them loved their Lightnings and used them as trucks. I fear that in 5 years if I want to drive a new/newish EV full-size truck I’ll have to get a BYD

 

[Shawnson]

https://fordauthority.com/2026/04/c...-with-ford-exec-amid-farleys-anti-ev-comments

Farley lost the plot.

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