Ford Is Quietly Rebuilding the Way It Makes Cars

Ford is not just updating cars; it is changing how they are put together in the first place.

The scale of it is pretty large. By 2029, 70 percent of its global lineup will be refreshed. In North America, that rises to 80 percent by volume. So this is not a slow update cycle; it is a broad reset across most of the range.

To make all this work, Ford is reshaping how its teams operate. It has set up a new group called Product Creation and Industrialization, bringing EV, software, design, and manufacturing together. Kumar Galhotra will lead it. The goal is straightforward. Keep everyone aligned, move faster, and avoid delays between teams.

You can already see the direction in the product plan. A new F-150 is on the way, along with the next Super Duty. There is also a new mid-size pickup coming, built on the UEV platform, which ties back to that push for simpler, more unified development.

That platform is central to the plan because it keeps things simpler. Fewer parts with unicastings, a cleaner electrical setup, and in-house software. All of that should make the cars lighter, easier to build, and easier to update later. The same tech also helps hybrids, mainly through more efficient motors.

From there, the strategy spreads out. By 2030, about 90 percent of Ford’s global lineup will be electrified in some way. That includes hybrids, extended-range setups, and full EVs. So instead of relying on one solution, Ford is covering different needs with different setups.

At the same time, there is a change at the top. Doug Field, who helped lead Ford’s move into software-based cars over the past five years, will leave within a month. Since he helped build this new structure, his exit comes right as Ford is about to rely on it, which makes the timing stand out.