Ford's Electric Vehicle Strategy Faces Challenges Amid Costly Adjustments
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 13 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- Strategic Adjustment: Ford incurred approximately $19.5 billion in special charges during Q4 due to adjustments in its electric vehicle strategy, resulting in a net loss of $11.1 billion, highlighting the challenges it faces in the EV market.
- EREV Replacement Plan: The company plans to replace the current all-electric F-150 Lightning with an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV), a move that may be seen as a costly detour on the path to mainstream EV adoption, potentially undermining investor confidence.
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: According to McKinsey, the EREV design can reduce powertrain production costs by about $6,000 compared to full EVs, offering a lighter and lower-cost alternative, although it also increases maintenance complexity risks.
- Future Outlook: Ford's next-generation Universal EV Platform is expected to debut in 2027, and while the current EREV option provides a short-term solution for the F-150 Lightning, the company urgently needs to achieve scale and cost reductions to compete effectively in the EV market.
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Analyst Views on F
Wall Street analysts forecast F stock price to rise
14 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
10 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 11.370
Low
11.00
Averages
13.65
High
16.00
Current: 11.370
Low
11.00
Averages
13.65
High
16.00
About F
Ford Motor Company is an automobile company. The Company develops and delivers Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars, and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The Company’s segments include Ford Blue, Ford Model e, Ford Pro, and Ford Credit. The Ford Blue segment primarily includes the sale of Ford and Lincoln internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicles, service parts, accessories, and digital services for retail customers. The Ford Model e segment primarily includes the sale of its electric vehicles, service parts, accessories, and digital services for retail customers. The Ford Pro segment primarily includes the sale of Ford and Lincoln vehicles, service parts, accessories, and services for commercial, government, and rental customers. The Ford Credit segment consists of the Ford Credit business on a consolidated basis, which is primarily vehicle-related financing and leasing activities. Its vehicle brands are Ford and Lincoln.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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