The automaker has placed a bet on battery-powered cars, but it has struggled to produce and sell the vehicles in large numbers.
The nation’s largest automaker sold more cars in 2023 than a year ago as supply chain chaos ended, but sales are now under pressure from rising interest rates.
Purchases of popular models like the Tesla Model 3 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E may no longer entitle buyers to tax savings because the cars do not meet tougher sourcing requirements.
Ford and other automaker have had to readjust their electric vehicle production plans because sales have been weaker than they had expected.
Two years behind schedule, the electric model has an unusual design that sets it apart from rival pickups, which could limit its sales.
The move is the oil giant’s first foray in the production of a metal vital for electric vehicle batteries.
President Biden’s 2022 climate act spurred big investments in U.S. battery factories, but it has not similarly boosted E.V. sales.
Growth is brisk but slower than expected, causing automakers to question their multibillion-dollar investments in new factories and raising doubts about the effectiveness of federal incentives.
With tentative agreements in place, a six-week strike against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis could soon come to an end. But the union’s rank-and-file members still need to approve the deals.
President Biden’s support for autoworkers helped them make big wage gains, and labor organizers are looking to bring about similar gains elsewhere as carmakers transition to electric vehicles.