Ford Motor Company

The Ford Motor Company, commonly known as Ford, is an American multinational automobile manufacturer. It was founded by Henry Ford and began operating on June 16, 1903. Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, Ford makes cars and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand and luxury cars under its Lincoln brand. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol F and is mostly controlled by the Ford family.

Ford changed how cars were made by creating moving assembly lines. This method, known as Fordism, became famous around the world. Over the years, Ford has owned many different car brands, such as Jaguar and Land Rover, which were later sold, and Volvo, which Ford owned for a time. Today, Ford is the second-largest American car maker, after General Motors, and one of the biggest in the world.

Even during tough times like the 2008–2010 automotive industry crisis, Ford managed without help from the government. The company has since grown strong again. In 2023, Ford made 4.4 million cars and employed about 177,000 people around the world. It also works with partners in places like China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey.

History

Main article: History of the Ford Motor Company

20th century

The Henry Ford Company was Henry Ford's first try at making cars. It started on November 3, 1901, but later became the Cadillac Motor Company after Ford left. In 1903, the Ford Motor Company began in a changed factory with $28,000 from twelve investors, including John and Horace Dodge, who later started the Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle Company.

The first leader was not Ford but a local banker named John S. Gray, chosen to make investors feel safer. In the early years, the company made just a few cars each day at factories in Detroit, Michigan. They built cars from parts made by other companies. Over time, Ford improved how cars were built, creating the moving assembly line in 1913.

Henry Ford started the company when he was 39, and it grew to become one of the biggest and most successful companies in the world. The first gasoline-powered automobile was made in 1885 by German inventor Karl Benz. Ford helped make cars affordable for middle class people with new ideas, like the first moving assembly line in 1913.

Between 1903 and 1908, Ford made cars like the Models A, B, C, F, K, N, R, and S. In 1908, Ford made the Model T, which sold millions over nearly 20 years. In 1927, Ford replaced the T with the Model A, the first car with laminated safety glass in the windshield. Ford made the first low-priced car with a V8 engine in 1932.

Ford made the Mercury brand in 1939 to compete with other mid-priced cars. Henry Ford bought the Lincoln Motor Company in 1922 to make luxury cars.

During World War II, Ford made planes for the United States and vehicles for Germany. In 1951, Ford started a lab in Dearborn, Michigan, which later helped create important technology.

Ford made safety improvements like seatbelts and child-proof locks in the 1950s. In 1964, Ford introduced the Ford Mustang. In the 1980s, Ford made many popular cars and used the slogan "Have you driven a Ford, lately?"

21st century

William Clay Ford Jr., Henry Ford's great-grandson, became leader of the company in 1998 and CEO in 2001. Ford sold some racing business in 2004 and made changes to save money. By 2005, Ford and another company had financial trouble.

Ford made new types of cars, including hybrid electric vehicles. In 2006, Ford raised money by borrowing and made an agreement to save on costs. In 2007, Ford made a big loss but later made a profit in 2009.

In 2012, Ford sold its climate control business. In 2016, Ford planned to modernize its buildings. In 2017, Ford canceled plans to build a plant in Mexico and instead invested in Michigan. Ford also started working on self-driving and electric vehicles.

In 2020, Ford slowed down production because of health concerns. In 2021, Ford made a partnership to deliver groceries using self-driving cars. In 2022, Ford split into three parts to focus on electric vehicles, traditional vehicles, and commercial vehicles. Ford announced job cuts in several countries to save money. In 2023, Ford introduced a new technology that helps drivers but still needs human control.

In November 2024, Ford announced more job cuts in the UK and Germany. In September 2025, Ford moved its headquarters to a new building in Dearborn, which opened in November 2025. In December 2025, Ford made changes to its electric vehicle plans due to changes in government support.

Corporate affairs

The Ford Motor Company shows important business trends each year.

Ford is mostly owned by big investment groups. Some of the largest owners include The Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Corporation.

Ford has a charity group called Ford Philanthropy. It was started in 1949 and helps with education, safe driving, and building stronger communities. It offers many programs for students and young drivers.

In 2016, Ford started the FordWorks program to help people with disabilities find jobs. It first focused on people with autism and has since grown to include others with disabilities. Ford works with partners like Upbound to make this happen.

Operations

See also: List of Ford factories

Ford has had manufacturing operations worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and South Africa. Ford also helped the Soviet Union to construct Russian automaker GAZ.

North America

In May 2010, Ford reported that its sales increased 23% for the month, and that 37% of its sales came from fleet sales. In June 2010, sales to individual customers at dealerships increased 13% while fleet sales rose by 32%. In the first seven months of 2010, fleet sales of Ford for the same period rose 35% to 386,000 units while retail sales increase 19%. Fleet sales account for 39 percent of Chrysler's sales and 31 percent for GM's.

In 2025, Ford reported higher automobile sales due to stronger demand for its hybrid models and affordable pickup truck. Sales rose by 6% year-on-year.

Europe

Main article: Ford of Europe

At first, Ford in Germany and Ford in Britain built different models from one another until 1965, when the Ford Transit and later the Ford Escort and the Ford Capri became common to both companies. In 1970, the Ford Taunus and the Ford Cortina came into production with a common base construction, both models being produced in left hand drive and right hand drive. Later on, the models became identical and the respective models right- and left-hand-drive exclusively. Rationalisation of model ranges meant that production of many models in the UK switched to elsewhere in Europe, including Belgium and Spain as well as Germany. The Ford Sierra replaced the Taunus and Cortina in 1982, drawing criticism for its radical aerodynamic styling, which was soon given nicknames, the "Jellymould" and "The Salesman's Spaceship".

In February 2002, Ford ended car production in the UK. It was the first time in 90 years that Ford cars had not been made in Britain, although production of the Transit van continued at the company's Southampton facility until mid-2013, engines at Bridgend and Dagenham, and transmissions at Halewood. Development of European Ford is broadly split between Dunton in Essex (powertrain, Fiesta/Ka, and commercial vehicles) and Cologne (body, chassis, electrical, Focus, Mondeo) in Germany. Ford also produced the Thames range of commercial vehicles, although the use of this brand name was discontinued with the introduction of the Ford Transit in 1965. Elsewhere in continental Europe, Ford assembles the Mondeo, Galaxy, S-Max and Kuga in Valencia (Spain), Fiesta in Cologne (Germany), Focus in Saarlouis (Germany), Ecosport and Puma in Craiova (Romania).

Ford also owns a joint-venture production plant in Turkey. Ford Otosan, established in the 1970s, manufactures the Transit Connect compact panel van as well as the "Jumbo" and long-wheelbase versions of the full-size Transit. This new production facility was set up near Kocaeli in 2002, and its opening marked the end of Transit assembly in Genk.

Another joint venture plant near Setúbal in Portugal, set up in collaboration with Volkswagen, formerly assembled the Galaxy people-carrier as well as its sister ships, the VW Sharan and SEAT Alhambra. With the introduction of the third generation of the Galaxy, Ford has moved the production of the people-carrier to the Genk plant, with Volkswagen taking over sole ownership of the Setúbal facility.

In 2008, Ford acquired a majority stake in Automobile Craiova, Romania. Starting 2009, the Ford Transit Connect was Ford's first model produced in Craiova, followed, in 2012, by low-capacity car engines and a new small class car, the B-Max. In 2022, Ford Romania was acquired by Ford Otosan and in 2023, production of the Ford Transit Courier/Tourneo Courier started at the facility.

Its 1959 Anglia two-door saloon was one of the most quirky-looking small family cars in Europe at the time of its launch, but buyers soon became accustomed to its looks and it was hugely popular with British buyers in particular. It was still selling well when replaced by the more practical Escort in 1967.

The third incarnation of the Ford Escort was launched in 1980 and marked the company's move from rear-wheel-drive saloons to front-wheel-drive hatchbacks in the small family car sector.

The fourth-generation Escort was produced from 1990 until 2000, although its successor—the Focus—had been on sale since 1998. On its launch, the Focus was arguably the most dramatic-looking and fine-handling small family cars on sale and sold in huge volumes right up to the launch of the next-generation Focus at the end of 2004.

The 1982 Ford Sierra—replacement for the long-running and massively popular Cortina and Taunus models—was a style-setter at the time of its launch. Its ultramodern aerodynamic design was a world away from a boxy, sharp-edged Cortina, and it was massively popular just about everywhere it was sold. A series of updates kept it looking relatively fresh until it was replaced by the front-wheel-drive Mondeo at the start of 1993.

The rise in popularity of small cars during the 1970s saw Ford enter the mini-car market in 1976 with its Fiesta hatchback. Most of its production was concentrated at Valencia in Spain, and the Fiesta sold in huge figures from the very start. An update in 1983 and the launch of an all-new model in 1989 strengthened its position in the small car market.

On October 24, 2012, Ford announced that it would close its Genk assembly plant in eastern Belgium by the end of 2014.

In 2015, Ford announced that it took control of Ford Sollers, Ford's joint venture with Russian company Sollers.

In September 2018, at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hannover, Germany, Ford introduced an electric tractor-trailer concept vehicle dubbed the F-Vision, which would have Level 4 autonomous driving capability.

On March 1, 2022, Ford announced that it was suspending its Sollers joint venture operation in Russia, in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. On October 26, 2022, Ford sold its 49 percent share in the joint venture, and exited the Russian market, adding that it retains the option to buy them back within a 5-year period "should the global situation change".

East and Southeast Asia

Ford formed its first passenger-vehicle joint venture in China in 2001, six years behind GM and more than a decade after VW. It has spent as of 2013^[update] $4.9 billion to expand its lineup and double production capacity in China to 600,000 vehicles. This includes Ford's largest-ever factory complex in the southwestern city of Chongqing. Ford had 2.5% of the Chinese market in 2013, while VW controlled 14.5% and GM had 15.6%, according to consultant LMC Automotive. GM outsells Ford in China by more than six-to-one. Ford's presence in Asia has traditionally been much smaller, confined to Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Taiwan, where Ford has had a joint venture with Lio Ho since the 1970s. Ford began assembly of cars in Thailand in 1960, but withdrew from the country in 1976, and did not return until 1995 when it formed a joint venture with Mazda called Auto Alliance. Now based in the Bo-win Sub District of the Sriracha District in Chonburi, the factory still produces passenger automobiles. The factory, built in 1941 in Singapore, was soon taken over by the Japanese during the war and was the site of a surrender of the British to the Japanese, at the factory site which is now a national monument in Singapore. On April 30, 2013, Ford Motor Co. launched its car and pickup truck line in Myanmar. Previously, heavy importation taxes had stifled imported car purchases in Myanmar, but due to currency reform, lifting of previous import restrictions, and the abolishment of shadow currency, Myanmar's car market had grown in demand.

Ford decided to shut down its entire operations in Indonesia, including its dealer network by second half of 2016. Since 2016, Ford operation in Indonesia has been taken over by RMA Group. RMA Group would resume the distribution new Ford cars in 2020, 4 years since last Ford left Indonesian market

South Korea

In 1967, Ford partnered with the South Korean company Hyundai, and at the new factory in Ulsan, South Korea, built the European Ford Cortina until 1974 when Hyundai introduced its all-new Hyundai Pony in 1975. Ford then developed a relationship with Korea's oldest car manufacturer Kia which built vehicles co-engineered with Mazda, later selling the Ford Festiva from 1988 to 1993, and the Ford Aspire from 1994 to 1997 for export to the United States. With the acquisition of a stake in Japanese manufacturer Mazda in 1979, Ford began selling Mazda's Familia and Capella as the Ford Laser and Telstar throughout the region, replacing the European-sourced Escort and Cortina. From 1989 to 1996, Kia imported the Mercury Sable from Ford in the U.S. and sold them in South Korea as the Kia Sable. Though the Sable was branded and marketed as a Kia, it retained the Mercury badges and emblem. Ford lost its Kia interest to Hyundai in 1998 after the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Kia had declared bankruptcy in 1997; in 1998, Hyundai Motor Company acquired 51% of the company, outbidding Ford which had owned an interest in Kia Motors since 1986. After subsequent divestments, Hyundai Motor Company owns less than 50% of the company but remains Kia's largest stakeholder.

As of 2020^[update], Ford sells the Explorer, Mondeo, and Mustang, as well as the Lincoln Aviator, Continental, Corsair, MKZ, and Nautilus in South Korea.

South and West Asia

Ford India began production in 1998 at Chennai, Tamil Nadu, with its Ford Escort model, which was later replaced by the locally produced Ford Ikon in 2001. It has since added the Fusion, Fiesta, Mondeo and Endeavour models to its product line.

On March 9, 2010, Ford launched its first made-for-India compact car. Starting at ₹349,900, the Figo was Ford's first car designed and priced for the mass Indian market. On July 28, 2011, Ford India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State of Gujarat for the construction of an assembly and engine plant in Sanand and planned to invest approximately US$1 billion on a 460-acre site. In 2019, the company and Mahindra & Mahindra formed a joint venture to develop, market and distribute Ford-branded vehicles in India. In September 2021 Ford India announced plans to shut down both its assembly plants. The company said that it intends to maintain its parts and service network.

Ford's market presence in the Middle East has traditionally been small, partly due to previous Arab boycotts of companies dealing with Israel. Ford and Lincoln vehicles are currently marketed in ten countries in the region. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates are the biggest markets. Ford also established itself in Egypt in 1926 but faced an uphill battle during the 1950s due to the hostile nationalist business environment. Ford's distributor in Saudi Arabia announced in February 2003 that it had sold 100,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles since commencing sales in November 1986. Half of the Ford and Lincoln vehicles sold in that country were Ford Crown Victorias. In 2004, Ford sold 30,000 units in the region, falling far short of General Motors' 88,852 units and Nissan Motors' 75,000 units.

South America

In South America, Ford's primary operations are in Brazil, Argentina, and Ford Andina (Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela). Ford employs over 18,000 people and operates seven assembly or other plants in the region. In 1987, Ford Brasil and Ford Motor Argentina merged its operations with the Brazilian and Argentine operations of Volkswagen Group, forming a new joint-venture company called Autolatina with a shared model range. Autolatina was dissolved in 1995.

In early 2021, Ford's Brazil branch announced it would completely cease production in the country over the course of a few months.

Africa

In Africa, Ford's market presence has traditionally been strongest in South Africa and neighbouring countries, with only trucks being sold elsewhere on the continent. Ford in South Africa began by importing kits from Canada to be assembled at its facility in Port Elizabeth; the company later sourced its models from the UK and Australia, with local versions of the Ford Cortina including the XR6, with a 3.0 V6 engine, and a Cortina-based 'bakkie' or pick-up, which was exported to the UK. In the mid-1980s Ford merged with a rival company, owned by Anglo American, to form the South African Motor Corporation (Samcor).

Following international condemnation of apartheid, Ford divested from South Africa in 1988, and sold its stake in Samcor, although it licensed the use of its brand name to the company. Samcor began to assemble Mazdas as well, which affected its product line-up and saw the European Fords like the Escort and Sierra replaced by the Mazda-based Laser and Telstar. Ford bought a 45 per cent stake in Samcor following the demise of apartheid in 1994, and this later became, once again, a wholly owned subsidiary, the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa. Ford now sells a local sedan version of the Fiesta (also built in India and Mexico), and the Focus. The Falcon model from Australia was also sold in South Africa, but was dropped in 2003; the Mondeo, after briefly being assembled locally, was dropped in 2005. The Mondeo was later reintroduced in 2015, badged as the Fusion, but was dropped in 2017.

Research

Ford Research and Innovation Center is the name of the technology research facilities of Ford Motor Company in

• Dearborn, Michigan
• Palo Alto, California
• Aachen, Germany
• Nanjing, China

The Ford Research and Innovation Center in Palo Alto was first opened in 2012, and in January 2015, announced plans to significantly expand its operations.

Ford has the position of chief futurist in charge of forecasting which was started in 2019 by Sheryl Connelly, and is currently held by Jennifer Brace.

Former operations

East and Southeast Asia

Ford of Japan

Ford opened a factory in Yokohama, Japan, in 1925. There, they built cars using parts from other countries. They made 10,000 cars by 1936 but stopped making cars in 1940 because of problems between Japan and the United States.

After World War II, Ford did not sell cars in Japan because the Japanese government took over their factory. In 1958, Ford got their factory back and used it for research with their partner, Mazda. In 1979, Ford bought part of Mazda and helped sell Ford cars in Japan through a place called Autorama. Later, this place was renamed Ford Sales of Japan.

Cars sold in Japan included models made in North America and Europe, as well as some made by Mazda.

Ford changed its ownership in Mazda over time but, by 2016, no longer sold new cars in Japan and closed its office there.

Oceania

In Australia and New Zealand, Ford made the Falcon car from 1960 to 2016. It was a big car, bigger than Ford’s main car in Europe, the Mondeo. The Falcon was very popular and was also made in New Zealand. It came in many versions, including high-performance models and a version called a ute, which is a small truck.

Ford also made other cars in Australia, like the Laser, which was very popular even though it was similar to a Mazda car. In New Zealand, Ford made the Laser and Telstar cars along with some Mazda models.

In 2013, Ford announced it would stop making cars in Australia by 2016. This decision affected many workers who lost their jobs. The factories in Australia closed in October 2016.

Products and services

Automobiles

See also: List of Ford vehicles, List of Lincoln vehicles, and List of Mercury vehicles

Ford Motor Company sells many cars under the Ford brand around the world, and also sells luxury cars under the Lincoln brand in the United States. Over time, Ford has used other brand names too. The Mercury brand started in 1939 but stopped in 2011 because not many people bought those cars. The Edsel brand was introduced in 1958 but stopped in 1960 for the same reason. The Merkur brand was used in the United States from 1985 to 1989 for cars made by Ford of Europe.

Ford once owned the British sports car company Aston Martin, buying it in 1989 and selling it in 2007. Ford also owned Volvo Cars of Sweden from 1999 until selling it in 2010.

In 2008, Ford reduced its share in the Japanese company Mazda from 33.4% to just 3%, though they still work together on technology and projects. In 2015, Ford sold even that small share. In 2008, Ford sold the United Kingdom-based Jaguar and Land Rover companies to Tata Motors of India.

In 2018, Ford announced plans to focus mainly on pickup trucks and SUVs, phasing out most of its North American car models, except the Mustang.

Trucks

Ford has made trucks since 1908, starting with the Ford Model TT. Countries where Ford made trucks include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Spain, Turkey, the UK, and the United States.

From the 1940s to the late 1970s, Ford's Ford F-Series was a popular truck in North America.

Many of Ford's truck businesses are no longer active. In Europe, the truck business became part of the Iveco group in 1986. Ford sold its heavy truck business to Freightliner Trucks of Daimler AG in 1996. In 1998, Freightliner started making its own versions of Ford trucks in Ontario, Canada, under the Sterling brand.

Ford made many truck models over the years, including the Ford F-Series, N-Series, L-Series, C-Series, Cargo/CF-Series, H-Series, W-Series, and CL-Series.

In 1999, Ford stopped making medium-duty trucks for a short time. In 2001, Ford joined with Navistar International to make medium-duty trucks in Mexico. They made the Ford F-650/F-750 Super Duty and International 4000/DuraStar. In 2006, they introduced the Ford LCF/International CityStar using a modified F-Series chassis.

In Europe, Ford makes the Ford Transit jumbo van for carrying goods, and also makes the Ford Transit Connect van and the Ford Ranger pickup truck.

Buses

Ford used to make complete buses, but now works with other companies to provide bus chassis. In North America, the E-Series is used for small school buses, and the F-650 is used for commercial buses. In the 1980s and 1990s, the medium-duty B700 was used by school bus makers, but Ford lost market share.

Older Ford bus models included buses based on truck bodies before 1936, like the Model B, Model T, and F-105 school bus.

In 1936, Ford introduced the Ford Transit Bus, a small bus with bodies made by other companies. It was changed to have a rear engine in 1939. About 1,000 to 1,200 of the original design were made, and around 12,500 of the rear-engine design, which was made until 1947 (called the Universal Bus from 1946).

After the Transit Bus, Ford made the Ford 8M buses, like the 8MB transit bus from 1948.

After World War II, Ford lost much of its bus business in North America to General Motors.

In Europe, Ford makes the Ford Transit Minibus for passengers, available with 12, 15, or 17 seats. Past European models included the EM, N-138, and D series buses (in Australia).

Tractors

Ford began making tractors in 1907 with the Fordson tractors in Michigan, Ireland, England, and later in Leningrad. Ford returned to tractors in 1939 with the Ford N-series tractors. The Ford 8N, introduced in 1947, was very popular in North America. Production of the N-series ended in 1952.

The Ford NAA tractor was introduced in 1953, larger than the 8N with a four-cylinder engine.

In 1986, Ford bought Sperry-New Holland, making skid-steer loaders and hay tools, forming Ford-New Holland. This company was bought by Fiat in 1993 and renamed New Holland, which is now part of CNH Global.

Financial services

Ford offers car financing through Ford Motor Credit Company.

Automotive components

Ford's parts division sells replacement parts under the Motorcraft brand. It later became a separate company called Visteon.

Marques

Current marques

Former marques

Motorsport

Main article: Ford Racing

FIA World Championships

Along with Shelby and Chevrolet, Ford is one of only three American car makers to win titles in big international races at the FIA World Championships. Ford won the World Sportscar Championship three times, in different years and categories. At the World Rally Championship, Ford won four times for drivers and four times for manufacturers. At the World Touring Car Championship, Ford helped a Swiss team win a title. As an engine supplier, Ford also won many times in Formula One World Drivers' Championships and Formula One World Constructors' Championships.

Ford is also one of only three car makers, along with Mercedes-Benz and McLaren, to complete the Triple Crown of Motorsport (wins at the Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Monaco Grand Prix). Ford achieved this as an engine maker by winning the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix.

Open-wheel racing

IndyCar

IndyCars with Ford engines first raced in 1935. Ford’s first big win was in 1965. Ford engines, including ones made with help from Cosworth, have won the Indianapolis 500 eighteen times. In 1996, a driver using a Ford engine set very fast qualifying speed records that still stand today.

Formula Ford

Formula Ford started in the UK in 1966. It is a place for young drivers to learn racing with simple, wingless cars.

Formula One

Main article: Ford in Formula One

See also: Cosworth and Red Bull Ford Powertrains

Ford helped many Formula One teams with engines from 1967 to 2004. These engines, made by Cosworth, won many races for teams like Team Lotus and McLaren. Ford tried racing as a team owner in 2000 with Jaguar Racing, but it did not go well. Ford left Formula One after 2004 but plans to return in 2026 with Red Bull Powertrains.

Stock car racing

Ford is one of three car makers in NASCAR’s big races. Major teams include RFK Racing, Team Penske and Wood Brothers Racing. Ford uses the Mustang GT in one series and the F-150 in another. Ford has had many successful cars and won many races, including its 1,000th win in 2013. The Ford Fusion is also used in another racing series.

Rally

Main article: Ford World Rally Team

Ford has been in rallying since the 1973 season of the World Rally Championship. Ford won manufacturers’ titles in (/wiki/1979_World_Rally_Championship_season) with drivers like Hannu Mikkola. In the 1999 season, Ford started using the Ford Focus WRC and won titles again in 2006 and 2007. Ford has gone 92 races in a row without missing the points.

Rallycross

Ford has raced in rallycross with its Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus. Drivers like Tanner Foust and Toomas Heikkinen have won big rallycross titles.

Sports cars

Main article: Ford GT § Racing

Ford sports cars have raced since 1964. The Ford GT40 is most famous for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times and is the only American car to ever win there. Ford also won four titles at the World Sportscar Championship with the GT40.

Ford Mustang

Main article: Ford Mustang § Racing

The Ford Mustang has been very successful in racing. It has won many titles in different series over the years, including the SCCA Pro B National Championship, the Trans-Am Championship, and the IMSA GTO Championship. In more recent years, Mustangs have also done well in the Rolex Koni Challenge Series and the GT4 European Championship.

Touring cars

Ford has raced touring cars like the Mustang, Focus, Falcon, and Contour/Mondeo in many series. In the 2000 British Touring Car Championship, Mondeo drivers came in places one, two, and three. In the 2005 V8 Supercar Championship Series, Falcon drivers also took the top three spots.

Drag racing

In drag racing, drivers like John Force, Tony Pedregon, and Robert Hight have won NHRA titles recently with Ford Mustang Funny Cars. Other drivers like Tim Wilkerson and Bob Tasca III also race Mustangs in Funny Car.

Drifting

Ford has started racing in drifting with the new Mustang. One famous car is a blue and green Mustang with special tires driven by Vaughn Gittin, Jr..

Environmental initiatives

Flexible fuel vehicles

Flexible fuel vehicles can run on different mixes of ethanol and gasoline. This includes using pure gasoline or blends like E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline). Having enough fueling stations is important for these vehicles to be popular with drivers. Efforts are underway to increase the production and availability of E85 fuel.

Electric drive vehicles

Hybrid electric vehicles

See also: Hybrid electric vehicle

In 2004, Ford worked with Toyota to share technology for making hybrid vehicles. Ford introduced the Escape Hybrid in 2004, which was the first hybrid SUV on the market and could also run on E85 fuel. Ford aimed to make 250,000 hybrids a year by 2010 but faced challenges and changed its plans. Ford continued to develop new hybrid technology in Britain with Volvo.

In 2007, Ford partnered with Southern California Edison to study how plug-in hybrids could work with the electricity grid. Ford converted some Escape Hybrids to plug-in hybrids for testing. In 2008, Ford added a plug-in hybrid version of the Escape to the U.S. government’s fleet of vehicles. Ford began selling hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan in 2009.

As of November 2014, Ford had produced many hybrid models, including the Escape Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Mercury Milan Hybrid, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, Ford C-Max Hybrid, and Ford Mondeo Hybrid. By June 2012, Ford had sold over 200,000 hybrids in the U.S., and by September 2014, over 344,000 hybrids. The Fusion Hybrid was the top-selling hybrid in the U.S., followed by the Escape Hybrid and the C-Max Hybrid. Ford became the world’s second-largest hybrid manufacturer after Toyota.

Plug-in electric vehicles

See also: Plug-in electric vehicle

As of April 2024, Ford makes several plug-in electric vehicles, including the Ford Escape/Kuga PHEV, Ford Ranger PHEV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Ford F-150 Lightning, Ford Explorer EV, Ford E-Transit/Tourneo Courier, Ford E-Transit Custom, and the Ford E-Transit.

Bill Ford used a battery electric Ford Ranger EV while Ford worked with the United States Postal Service to deliver electric vans. Ford stopped making electric Ranger pickup trucks but later reversed this decision. From 1998 to 2002, the all-electric Ranger was leased to individuals and fleets in the U.S.

From 2009 to 2011, Ford offered the Ford TH!NK car but later ended production and took back the cars. After protests, Ford returned the cars to Norway for sale. Four hundred forty units were leased in the U.S. from 1999 to 2003.

In 2017, Ford planned to invest $4.5 billion in plug-in electric vehicles by 2020.

The Azure Transit Connect Electric, developed with Azure Dynamics, was an all-electric van from 2010 to 2012.

The Ford Focus Electric, made by Magna International, began sales in the U.S. in December 2011.

The Ford C-Max Energi, a plug-in hybrid, was released in the U.S. in October 2012. It was followed by the Ford Fusion Energi from 2013 to 2020. Both Energi models use the same powertrain technology.

In October 2017, Ford created Team Edison to lead its electric vehicle efforts, planning a small SUV by 2020. The team is based in Detroit with offices in Europe and Asia.

The Mustang Mach-E was introduced on November 17, 2019, and went on sale in December 2020 as a 2021 model. It is made at the Cuautitlán Assembly in Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico. In June 2022, Ford said the Mach-E was no longer profitable due to higher material costs.

The F-150 Lightning was revealed on May 19, 2021. The first one was made on April 18, 2022, and delivered in the U.S. on May 26. Ford cut its 2024 production plans for the F-150 Lightning from 3,200 weekly units to around 1,600 weekly units because sales were lower than expected. In 2022, Ford began making E-Transit electric cargo vans in Kansas City, Missouri.

Through the 2019 Ford-VW alliance, Ford began making electric vehicles for Europe using Volkswagen’s MEB platform and batteries. The first is the Ford Explorer EV, made in Germany. In August 2023, Ford delayed Explorer EV deliveries to 2024 due to new battery rules.

In March 2022, Ford created Ford Model E, a division for its electric vehicle business, aiming to be profitable by 2026. In June 2022, Ford planned to spend $3.7 billion to hire 6,200 workers to make electric vehicles by 2026.

In May 2023, Ford said it would use Tesla’s North American Charging System (NACS) for its electric vehicles after 2024. Existing Ford electric cars can use NACS with an adapter. This gives access to over 12,000 NACS chargers in North America.

2025 investment

In August 2025, Ford said it would invest almost $5 billion to make lower-cost electric vehicles. $2 billion will go to the Louisville factory to develop cheaper electric parts and a new way to build cars. The first car from Louisville will be a medium pickup truck starting at $30,000 in 2027. Another $3 billion will build a new battery factory in Michigan. This follows Ford losing $12 billion on electric vehicles over the past two and a half years.

Hydrogen

Ford studies fuel cell-powered electric vehicles and has shown hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines. Compared to regular cars, hybrids and fuel cell vehicles cut air pollution and noise.

Ford makes hydrogen-powered shuttle buses for airports and convention centers. At the 2006 Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford showed a hydrogen fuel cell version of its Explorer SUV. This vehicle can go 350 miles and was partly funded by the United States Department of Energy.

Increased fuel efficiency

In July 2008, Ford said it would make more fuel-efficient cars faster. It planned to change three factories to make small cars instead of trucks and SUVs. Factories in Mexico City and Louisville would also change to make small cars like the Ford Fiesta by 2011. Ford also planned to bring six European small cars, including two versions of the Fiesta, to North America by the end of 2012.

Ford of Europe made the ECOnetic programme for better fuel efficiency and lower emissions. Using special diesel engines and better design, the Ford Fiesta was the lowest-emitting car in Europe. The 2012 Ford Focus ECOnetic uses less fuel than the Toyota Prius or Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion. ECOnetic is not planned for North America because of lower demand.

Ford challenged university teams to make a simple, durable, lightweight car for $7,000. Students from Aachen University made the “2015 Ford Model T”.

In 2000, Ford said it would improve SUV mileage by 25% by 2005 but could not meet this goal because of market and technology challenges.

For the 2007 model year, Ford had thirteen U.S. cars that could go 30 miles per gallon or more on the highway. Ford said it cut nearly three million pounds of pollution from its U.S. cars and trucks from 2004 to 2006. However, the United States Environmental Protection Agency links Ford to 54 Superfund toxic waste sites, twelve of which have been cleaned up.

Efficient buildings

In 2010, Ford added a 10.4-acre living roof to part of its Dearborn Truck plant. This roof, made of sedum plants, helps clean rainwater and saves energy.

In 2016, Ford announced a ten-year plan to update its Dearborn campus. The plan includes building bigger offices and labs to LEED standards, using wetlands and parks, adding solar-powered parking decks, and building a new natural gas power plant. The DTE Ford Central Energy Plant is a 34MW plant that saves energy with a high-efficiency design and LEED Gold buildings.

Sponsorships

Ford sponsors many events and sports places in the U.S., including the Ford Center in downtown Evansville, Indiana and Ford Field in downtown Detroit.

The company has also supported the UEFA Champions League for over twenty years and has been a sponsor of the Sky media channel's coverage of Premier League football. From 1994 to 1999, Ford was the main sponsor for a German Bundesliga team called 1. FC Köln.

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