Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, has apparently been cruising around in a Chinese-produced electric sedan for about half a year. Recent public comments by Farley indicate that he’s loving it, and some vocal critics aren’t crazy about those optics.
Now, they’re making their disapproval known.
Critics lambast Farley; “slap in the face”
“Jim Farley’s recent admission that he drives a Chinese-made electric vehicle is a slap in the face,” says Jason Issac of the American Energy Institute. As one of the loudest and most public critics, he finds it “deeply troubling” that Ford’s head honcho is driving a Chinese EV. Especially, he says, “when Ford is receiving billions of dollars in subsidies from American taxpayers to support domestic EV production.”
Ford
According to their website, the American Energy Institute is “a leading global producer of oil, gas, coal, and nuclear energy.” Issac is likely referring to the $9.2 billion conditional loan the Department of Energy doled out in 2023. Ford reportedly will be utilizing the funds to build three battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee to provide batteries for Ford and Lincoln EVs.
Farley “doesn’t want to give up” Chinese EV
Admitting you’re driving the competition – particularly, competition you can’t buy in the United States – is a bold play. But Farley goes one step further while chatting with the YouTube channel “Everything Electric Show.” He claims he “doesn’t want to give up” his Xiaomi SU7 that he’s been driving for six months.
Farley went on to compare the Chinese EV situation to what Toyota did in the 1980s. By bringing efficient, practical vehicles to a market burdened with inefficient Malaise-era American vehicles, Toyota built a legacy. They also jump started the rest of the industry and forced competition where there previously wasn’t any. It isn’t hard to see the similarities when you look at some of the EVs coming out of China today and compare them to what the US market currently has on offer.
Farley’s setting an example other auto CEOs could learn from
Back in September, Farley called Chinese EV manufacturers an “existential threat.” So, what gives? Why is the CEO of Ford heaping praise on a Chinese EV? “I try to drive everything we compete against. Have done it my whole career,” Farley said on his X/Twitter account.
It’s a pretty common practice for automakers to benchmark the competition. And if you want to see what happens when it’s done correctly, look no further than GM and the C8 Corvette. While Farley isn’t the first CEO to drive a competing automaker’s car, it’s good leadership and a practice other American automakers could learn from. Imagine if literally anyone had driven a Tesla without a turn signal stalk before it hit the market, for example.
Ford
Farley driving the rival car – even if it isn’t yet on US soil – is a sign that he’s paying attention. For that aforementioned $9.2 billion loan to make sense, the automaker has to produce something that’s worthwhile. One way to do that is to learn from the best. And, for the record, the Xiaomi SU7 is certainly one of the best, allegedly selling 100,000 units in China before the first example even got delivered.
Final thoughts
According to Ford, Farley’s daily driver is still a Ford F-150 Lightning. It shouldn’t be controversial to admit the competition is doing something right. If anything, it should instill confidence that Ford can replicate – or better yet, improve – upon what is already globally considered to be an impressive product. Props to Farley for considering and driving competing products – especially in an industry that has lent itself to head-in-the-sand ignorance in the past.
About the author
Steven Paul
Contributing Writer, Autoblog