Oct. 1, 2025 | Ford’s five years of Farley; What government shutdown means for industry
About this episode
September saw a significant surge in EV sales as consumers rushed to benefit from expiring federal tax credits, with Ford leading the charge. The episode also marks Jim Farley's five-year anniversary as Ford's CEO, highlighting his transformative strategies and challenges faced during his tenure, including quality issues and supply chain disruptions. Additionally, the implications of the recent government shutdown on the auto industry are discussed, particularly concerning EPA operations and vehicle compliance certifications. Insights from industry experts and Farley's leadership style provide a comprehensive overview of the current automotive landscape.
Ford CEO Jim Farley says “we’ve made a lot of progress” in his time leading the automaker, which began five years ago. EV sales take off in September ahead of the end of federal tax credits. Plus, Staff Reporter Molly Boigon talks about what the federal government shutdown means for the auto industry.
Fords Five
"Mike, welcome back to Daily Drive. Thanks for having me. All right. Well, I had to get in my cheesy alliteration at the beginning. So, Ford's five years of Farley. Talk about some of the most notable changes at the automaker during that time. Well, there's certainly been a lot of changes in the industry. It's interesting that he came in sort of during the coronavirus pandemic still in late 2020."
Ford F150S
"Just a few weeks ago in Louisville, he put forth a plan to reinvent manufacturing essentially to tear up Henry Ford's assembly line for these new affordable electric vehicles. And in between, he's streamlined the product portfolio. He's cut commodity vehicles like the edge and escape and focused more on Broncos and Mustangs and F-150s. And he's really done this because he's felt it's necessary. He didn't, he told me he didn't think it was a risk. He felt it was necessary that Ford needed to have a stronger foundation than what it had when he started."
Ford Escape
"...io. He's cut commodity vehicles like the edge and escape and focused more on Broncos and Mustangs and F-15..."
Ford Mustang
"...e edge and escape and focused more on Broncos and Mustangs and F-150s. And he's really done this because he'..."
Ford F Ford
"...al strength. One aspect of the leadership dynamic F Ford that I've wondered about for quite a long time is..."
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