Leading into the Future

JIM FARLEY IS the CEO of Ford Motor Company, leading its transformation into the digital and electric era with initiatives like the Ford+ plan and increased EV investment. Jim started his automotive career at Toyota in 1990, rising to General Manager of Lexus and leading the launch of the Scion brand. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, he moved to Ford Motor Company, first as Group VP of Global Marketing in 2007, and later heading Lincoln, Ford of Europe, and Global Markets. He was appointed CEO of Ford in 2020. After graduating in Economics from Georgetown University and UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, he followed his passion for cars and is now a key player in the global automotive industry.

Nic Waller was able to take a few moments out of Jim’s busy schedule to answer a few questions about where he sees the industry going and also about how he got to where he is today.

NIC WALLER: Were you born into a “car” family?

JIM FARLEY: My grandfather, Emmet Tracy, was employee number 389 at Ford. He worked on the assembly line for the Model T. After he retired, he opened his own Lincoln dealership. When I was young, I used to read through his automotive magazines and manuals. My love for cars has deep family roots, and it really came to life as a teenager when I started working on cars and engines.

Was there a moment early in your career when you realized, “OK… cars are my thing, what do I do now”?

I had known since I was a kid. The big moment for me was really after college, when I started a career in business at IBM. Cars were a passion, but they weren’t supposed to become a career. After a year at IBM, I was miserable, and I quit to join Toyota. That was a double blow to my family, first because I switched career tracks and second because I went to work for a Japanese auto company. But I knew I had to do it — that it was the right move for me — and I learned a lot there but especially about the importance of following your passion.

What was your first job?

I spent a summer rebuilding Ford engines at a remanufacturing plant my grandfather ran after his retirement. I guess you can say I haven’t strayed very far in my career! I worked on Mustangs, and when the summer ended, I had saved up enough to buy my own ’66 model, get it road- worthy, and drive home from California to Michigan. I was only fifteen and didn’t have my license yet or any insurance, but that didn’t stop me at the time.

What’s your favorite moment that most people don’t know about?

When I was working in Phil Hill’s garage, Hill & Vaughn, in Santa Monica. I worked on interiors, stitching Buffalo hide and frog skin leather, and restored engines. I learned a lot with my hands in that job.

What’s in your personal garage right now that you love driving?

My 2025 Mustang GTD. Full stop.

Is that the car that you drive when you just need to drive just for the hell of it?

Sometimes we all just need to get out of the office, climb into the driver’s seat, and go. One of my favorite things to do each year is hit the road with our vehicles, meeting customers and dealers to experience what they experience. That’s why I take a GEMBA road trip each summer. I embraced the Japanese “Gemba” philosophy early in my career — it’s all about going out, talking to people, and most of all listening. You can’t design the right vehicles for your customers from behind a desk! But my favorite thing to do is a road trip with my family — and, by the way, the navigator gets to pick the vehicle.

What’s a car that genuinely surprised you from behind the wheel?

Last year, we flew the Xiaomi SU7 over from China, and I really put it through its paces, because I need to understand our competition. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s impressive — and knowing what we’re up against is driving Ford to do better. We have to be real about the competition, and it’s important to get behind the wheel of vehicles like the SU7 and others and really understand it.

Since becoming the CEO of Ford, what’s been the hardest leadership challenge you’ve faced?

When I became CEO in 2020, I knew that the most difficult job would be changing the culture at Ford. We’re a 123-year-old company, and we’ve been through many transitions over that history, but our industry is changing fast. So are the needs and expectations of our customers. We can’t compete and win with the same mindset and company culture we had two decades ago or two generations ago. We needed to become leaner, more cost-efficient, and relentlessly focused on quality. We need to add new talent to our already strong team and help our existing employees learn new skills and a new approach. Over the past five years, we’ve made some very difficult but vital decisions relating to how we operate, and now they’re starting to pay off.

What’s one thing you wish more people understood about Ford?

Many people don’t realize that Ford isn’t just an auto company; we’re a technology company. We’re constantly delivering new software-defined vehicles and rich digital experiences. Ford engineers and technologists are harnessing data through virtual reality and artificial intelligence in order to speed innovation and unlock creativity across the company. It’s a really exciting time for Ford with the collaboration we’re seeing across teams thanks to new technology and how new digital technologies are being deployed in our vehicles to benefit customers. As part of our Ford+ transformation, we’ve brought together technologists and data scientists from across the tech and auto industries, like Doug Field, Mike Aragon, and Alan Clarke. This kind of automotive-digital technology collaboration was the basis for our “skunkworks” project in California over the past few years, which led to the creation of our new Universal EV Platform and Universal EV Production System, which will revolutionize the way EVs are built in the United States.

How do you balance Ford’s heritage with the pressure to reinvent the company?

Ford’s history has always been one of reinvention. From reimagining the way people move to reinventing the way people manufacture, it’s in our soul as a company. We’ve been helping bring change into the world through innovation in design and engineering for generations — and we’ve had to change the way we operate a few times along the way too. Right now, Ford is undergoing the biggest transformation in our history because we know it’s what we need to do in order to keep leading our industry in the future. Ultimately, the pressure to transform our company comes from within — from our constant drive to deliver for our customers, employees, and all who rely on Ford.

Where do you see Ford’s biggest competitive advantage over the next decade as the industry shifts toward electrification and software-defined vehicles?

Ford has several critical competitive advantages. These include the extraordinary talent we have in our employees as well as the knowledge and relationships with customers that extend over decades and inform our products and services. Perhaps our biggest single advantage is Ford Pro, our commercial business. Businesses are already benefitting from fleet-management software and digital features that reduce risk and operating costs, and this kind of innovation flows to their customers next. No other automaker has a Ford Pro, and we’re proud of that. We also have a unique ability to bring together rapid innovation with manufacturing scale. Ford has some of the most brilliant designers and engineers working on next-gen products that will wow customers, and we can make them affordable and high-quality because of our talented hourly workers who can produce them at scale in our manufacturing system. That’s how we’ll beat the Chinese and other competitors in a rapidly changing global industry.

In the light of the current political climate around the world, how is Ford balancing EV development with continued investment in hybrids and internal- combustion vehicles?

We’re striking that balance with a wide range of powertrains that maximize customer choice — ICE, HEV, PHEV, EV, and EREV. Our multi-energy strategy is the right approach to making sure we can deliver affordable vehicles and experiences to retail and commercial customers that meet their needs. At a time when policies are shifting faster than automakers’ product cycles, we need to continue becoming nimbler, innovate more quickly, and stay close to our customers.

How confident are you that the charging infrastructure in the U.S. will catch up with consumer demand?

We’re seeing growth in charging infrastructure every day in this country. But Ford isn’t sitting by and waiting — we’re taking action to help our customers who want to choose plug-in vehicles, whether they’re hybrids or EVs. We made a historic deal to open the Tesla supercharger network to Ford plug-ins in 2024 and launched the Ford Power Promise last year. All U.S. customers who buy or lease a Ford EV can have a home charger unit installed for free. We want our customers to have peace of mind that they can fill up their cars with electricity at home every night instead of worrying about having to go out and find a charger elsewhere. Ford Pro is also working with leading utility companies to plan for and manage the demand from electric work vehicles and provides software that helps businesses charge their fleets during the most economical rate periods.

When you talk to friends or family who aren’t “car people,” what’s the biggest myth about the future of persona transportation you find yourself correcting?

I think a lot of people assume that the future of our industry is greater and greater automation. Sure, that will be a part of it. But there will always be many customers who want to get behind the wheel and drive for the pure joy of driving. Ford produces cars and trucks that people love to drive, models that are iconic because the experience of driving them evokes memories and emotions. While we are going to continue pioneering new technologies like BlueCruise that give drivers more time back and add to safety, we’re also staying true to our ethos that our vehicles will be fun to drive, made for those who love the thrill of the driver’s seat. I don’t believe that will ever go away.

Which future propulsion technology (synthetic fuels, hydrogen, advanced hybrids) looks the most promising for performance applications?

I’m really excited about Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs), and about what our new Bronco for China and the xs. This technology greatly extends the range of electric vehicles by adding a small gas engine that can recharge the battery. We’re going to start to see range anxiety disappear, and the new F-150 Lightning EREV will have over 700 miles of range and stronger towing capacity compared to the first-gen model. I would expect customers to see more EREV models and trims in the future.

Ford has a huge legacy. What part of that history personally inspires you the most?

When I think of Ford — and when so many people do — I’m reminded of its history of design and engineering innovation. From the first gas-powered quadricycle in Henry Ford’s garage to game-changing vehicles like the Model T, Mustang, Bronco, and F series trucks, Ford engineers and product designers have created vehicles that changed the way everyone thinks about driving. Many of the most important innovations have been the result of hard, quiet work by many individuals and teams working together, not seeking the spotlight, but just loving what they do every day and excited to push the boundaries farther. That’s something I still see every day at Ford, and it’s what excites me most for our future.

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