At the Automotive News Congress on September 29, Ford CEO Jim Farley said Europe waited too long to answer Chinese automakers. The door there, he said, has already closed.
The United States still has a choice to make, in Farley's view. His comments arrive as Chinese brands' global presence has expanded rapidly since 2020, a pace that's reshaping how established automakers plan their next moves.
Europe Is Already Too Late
Farley pointed to the sustained rise of Chinese brands in Europe. Chinese automakers had a small but growing share of the European market in 2020. Public registration data show their share climbed to high single digits by the mid 2020s and continues to rise.
"I think it is just important for us to take our time to be considerate," Farley said, describing Europe's experience as a warning. He didn't call for an American ban. He called for a slower, more deliberate process than Europe managed to pull off.
The remarks build on concerns Farley has raised before about China's capacity to reshape the industry. This time, he tied them to Europe's policy response, including the European Union's trade case that brought extra duties on Chinese electric vehicle imports after 2023.
Ford itself isn't standing outside the trend it's describing. The company is competing against Chinese brands in European markets while also working alongside some of them. Farley defended that split approach rather than downplaying it.
The US Still Has Time To Weigh Chinese Automaker Access
Ford's clearest example of that dual strategy is a joint venture with Geely, announced to build electric vehicles at a Ford plant in Spain. Company statements puts the joint venture's operations starting in 2027, with production of the first new models planned for 2028.
"We are going to partner with the Chinese where we do not have [intellectual property], where we can be more capital efficient in places like Europe or Southeast Asia," Farley said, tying the Geely deal directly to that reasoning.
The politics around this are getting louder in Washington. A recent political letter criticizing Chinese investment in US auto manufacturing voiced "profound concern" about the sector's reliance on Chinese capital and technology. Lawmakers have introduced multiple bills that would raise tariffs on Chinese-built vehicles or restrict their sale in the American market.
Farley also pointed to Ford's own product plans as a direct answer to cheaper Chinese EVs. The company is developing its Universal EV platform as the basis for a midsize four-door electric pickup, the Fathom, that will be built in Louisville and reach customers in 2027. Those plans sit alongside current US rules that phase out tax credits for vehicles with Chinese battery parts and keep high tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and major components.
Put together, Farley's comments sketch a fork in the road for US policy and for Ford itself. Washington debates how far to open the market to Chinese brands while the company tries to balance partnerships abroad with homegrown products built to withstand the same competition at home.
