Ford CEO Jim Farley's Fascinating 'Take' On Taking On Chinese Car Companies...

In this week's podcast, Jim Farley, CEO of Ford is back to talk to Robert about the latest developments at Ford and in the EV world! @fullychargedshow @everythingelectricshow

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[jorgecintron]

Holy crap!!! For the CEO of Ford to say he’s been driving a Chinese EV for the past 6 months and he doesn’t want to give it up is just Jaw dropping. I had to rewind it and hear it again. No other CEO would dare say what he just said. I’m shocked! 😳 But, he gets it!!! Well done sir! 👏

[ladygracienyc]

The big take-away from the interview: Jim Farley shipped a Xiaomi to Chicago to test drive for 6 months and he doesn't want to give it up. OMG that's the biggest compliment and best piece of marketing Xiaomi could ever ask for

[JohnSean]

As an ex UK Ford apprentice (now pensioner) I am so pleased to hear Jim Farley speak with such a broad knowledge of his and other companies. A humble guy in the very best meaning of the word. Great interview!

[breezekinght]

Jim Farley is probably the ONLY western CEO truly understand the current situation AND speak it out frankly.

[lockdownlife]

Great interview! I’m a foreigner living and working in Shanghai. Drive a NIO and work closely on Ford related projects here in China. I admire Jim so much. He really does understand China and what’s been unfolding here over the past 10 years. Excited to see what the skunkworks team bring to market.

[gamesndrinks]

Jim Farley was great in this interview. He was transparent, took accountability, and laid the plan to move forward. This gave me faith in Ford's future.

[TimDLee-noon]

Congratulations. What a remarkable opportunity to listen to a CEO of a legacy car company being as transparent as he could be, bringing out the reality of Chinese car manufacturing and the dire need to change. He came across really well as a car enthusiast, not wedded to ICE but proud of the heritage. He seems so normal! Good luck with arranging the next one. I am keen to see what Ford will offer in the small to medium categories.

[lm]

I am personally not a fan of Ford's product, but I like Jim Farley - his curiosity about the outside world is admirable.

[GeoffNossiter]

What a great listen and what a refreshing change to hear a US Global CEO be so open and honest about his company's situation in the face of the challenging and rapidly growing global competition.

[Jawlf]

This was a mindblowing interview. It is amazing to hear how Jim Farley is now fully embracing the EV and agreed that they had dropped the ball in the first round of EV's. I am far more excited now for Ford in that they will be designing an EV. The other fact he is driving other brands of EV to me shows how passionate he is and understanding of what they need to do to make great EV's.
Thank you for getting this interview.

[andreasostberg]

Wow! I just love how straightforward Jim Farley is. That alone makes me hopeful about Ford surviving the transition.

[randomjasmicisrandom]

The statement from Jim about his Xiaomi has caused quite a storm on Twitter. I’ve seen it shared and discussed by some of the American pro-EV accounts and so far the reaction has been very positive. It has been seen as a position of strength that a CEO would be so open about how he knows who the competition are and what Ford needs to do to match them.

[canis]

When Jim Farley praises Chinese auto quality and value, people need to listen. He's the perfect antidote to Elon Musk’s hyperbolic, self-serving fascism.
Many important insights here,

[kevinbullas]

A Jim Farley…a humble, knowledgable human who appears to speak candidly about the car industry and the future…thank you…

[NZherewecome]

Wow!!! Jim saying how much he loved the xiomi < spelt wrong. And it’s their first car.

[ltribley]

As a Sinologist I've been working on "China issues" for 25+ years. I followed the electrification of their motor vehicles since the first use of lead-acid batteries over 20 years ago used in bicycles, mopeds, scooters, followed by small 3-wheel and 4-wheel "box-cars" costing $1.5-2.5k $USD (almost bought one), and now NEV's, EV's of all kinds ...

[Tidbit: To this day you have to be careful walking on sidewalks not to trip over extension cords from homes and apartments (even from 2nd & 3rd story) out to the street charging cars and motorcycles.]

...AND licensed - battery - VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) passenger drones (some autonomous) to support China's LOW ALTITUTE ECONOMY already worth $ billions and coming into operation with demonstration projects in some cities. Drone delivery services are already in place for consumer purchases, food delivery, etc. in some places.

Their Low Altitude Economy is YEARS ahead of the West for which I believe most countries governments don't even know exists as one of China's 4th Industrial Revolution economic development streams and identified in their most recent 5-Year Economic Development Plan.

ALL of these developments are happening in plain sight of the world's governments, vehicle manufactures, think tanks, consultants, academia, Corp. Media, militaries, litterly everyone. All of those "so-called" Neocolonial experts, CEO's raking in the millions, business leaders, oligarchs, et al. They are also covered by open media in China, other countries of the Global South, and even on social media like Bilibili, YouTube, Facebook, "X", Instagram, and others.

It's ALL there to research and see!

So. Where and what were Western automakers and all those "glorious" experts noted above doing all this time as their market shares in China were crumbling and didn't have a clue why?

Like nearly all technological advancements - EVERYHTING - in China, they were living the exceptinal, superior lives couched in American Hegemony.

Folk. They really screwed this one up and with their shrinking global markets, it's questionable if they can generate sulffient capital to sustain competitive R&D and survive. Boy did my grandfather love Desoto's!

With the West's hostility and economic sanctions against China growing at all fronts, let's see how far China goes toward implementing the "nuclear" equivalency of cutting off Western imports into the largest consumer market in the World. People with lots of money to burn. I recall 30 million new consumers this year, and more in 2025 while the Western middle class buying power is in decline for the foreseable future.

The West and most people don't have a clue that we live in a Multipolar World divided between the Global North and Global South. The Global South, referred to as the GLOBAL MAJORITY is comprised of 88% of the world's population that will generate most of the economic development and wealth for the rest of this century and beyond.

The West, the Global North is referred to as the GLOBAL MINORITY (essentially former White Colonial powers who colonized and destroyed many of their countries over the centuries). The GLOBAL MAJORITY (essentially countries of color) are telling us to stop interfering with their sovereignty and people's human right of self-determination without outside intervention.

The point being is that China has 88% of the world's population to trade with and doesn't need anything from us to survive and prosper.



RECENT CHINA EV TRIP

[Many EV's in China are like an "Information Ecosystem" on wheels", or maybe an IoT (Internet of Things) device on wheels. They are "Lifestyle Mobile Abodes" keeping you connected to activities of daily living.]

We recently returned from 5 weeks across China traveling to a variety of cities from Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, to Yunnan Province, Kunming, Dali, Shangri-La, etc. next to Tibet.

EV's everywhere including many China specific brands not known by the West but very popular in their respective regions such as the "Beijing" brand (they were pretty nice), Wonderful new SMART brand models, and cool, cute pastel color city cars with all sorts of wild and crazy graphics all over the place.

These brands are the typical middle class brands and have been around for many decades. You have unlikely never heard of them. Low cost, nicely built, attractive looking, but lacking all the high tech. Essentially a nice car, durable over time, easy to maintain, comfortable to live with but including an EV drivetrain. We drove in a few.

Malls is the place to go with multiple EV competetors set up next to each other. 7 brands inluding Tesla in one mall.

Throughout our trip there were many Tesla's in cool colors not available here,

All of the NEV companies were packed with young people EXCEPT for Tesla!

We spent a lot of time with staff and talked with a few young single and family consumers + young friends we know.

Anecdotally...

To a person they had little interest in Tesla. The CN brands are more advanced, better, more attractive designs with superior appointments - almost all were leather, and tailored to young "IT infrastructure connected lifestyles", to their friends, family, work, smart homes, entertainment, keeping the kids happy, etc. (kids were having a blast watching movies, playing video games).

They were saying Tesla has lost its "connection to the needs of many of the young Chinese people" and now think of Tesla as the brand their older parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles would buy! Let me think. Maybe like a Ford Galaxy or Chevy Impala! Tesla, designated the "yawner" EV by up and coming Chinese professionals and their young families with lots of money. Some don't care about new batteries, more range, etc. Boring....

The new Xiaomi SU7 (3 trim levels = $30-35-40k USD compared to its Porsche rival at well over $100, 000 USD) is now out and seems a favorite. You see many. Zeeker, their whole line seems popular, the Huawei brand (can't think of the name now) is all over and Huawei has expanded its tech architecture into another cool brand with slick aggressive sports coupe designs.

Of course BYD is there in abundance with a number of models not known in the West.

Larger Xiaomi and Huawei Smart Phone/Computer/Lifestyle stores (look similar to Apple stores) will show off and sell their cars together! BTW, we can negotiate prices and perks in ways you can't in the US. In China, price negotiation can be part of the fun and can last over several cups of tea!

The engineering, attention to details including under the hood with electrical wiring and gorgeous connectors, fit and finish was up to the best the West has to offer including the German brands for example.

Our next trip in 2025 we plan to rent several of our favorites for some extended driving around the country.

Here in the US, we've given up plans to buy an EV, other than maybe the new Volvo though many of the other Chinese brands really spoil you knowing you're getting ripped off in the US and West.

[jayzee]

The real problem is this, I noticed living in china for 2 years now that they've launched/iterated cars like we have software, but even faster. new car models are coming out every single quarter, and even same models are refreshing every single 2 years. its ridiculous product cycles I can't even wrap my mind around.

[wenhanshen]

I'm from China also a big fan of the new Mustang. In fact Xiaomi's CEO Leijun also commented that he wanted to build a mass popular sports car like Mustang in China. What the odds!

[sortdnz]

What an interview. Love hearing a CEO speaking like that! Very insightful.

[ELCEV]

Jim is such a down-to-earth honest speaking person that he single-handedly maintains my respect for Ford.