Ford has begun internal preparations to welcome Chinese automakers into the North American market within an estimated period of five to ten years. This forecast comes despite the current tariff barrier of approximately 100%, which prevents the sale of electric vehicles imported from China in the country.
Jim Farley, the company's CEO, presented this assessment to employees during an internal meeting held on July 30, as reported by Reuters, which obtained information from three attendees. Farley and other executives indicated that they consider it more likely that this entry will occur towards the end of this timeframe. Ford itself did not provide comments on the discussion's content.
Bill Ford, the automaker's chairman of the board, had previously stated that the company cannot rely on the definitive exclusion of Chinese competitors and that it is necessary to prepare to compete with them on equal footing.
Industry analysts point out that this movement is not limited to decisions made in Washington. Yale Zhang, managing director of the consultancy Automotive Foresight, based in Shanghai, assesses that it will be extremely difficult to indefinitely prevent Chinese EVs. This is due to the fact that American automakers will begin to face complaints from private consumers due to the availability of more affordable models.
Zhang told the South China Morning Post that pressure will increase as Mexico and Canada start incorporating cost-effective Chinese cars.
The price disparity helps justify the discomfort observed in Detroit. In February, the average cost of a new electric vehicle in the United States was US$ 55.3 thousand (R$ 286 thousand), according to Kelley Blue Book data. In contrast, in Mexico, where Chinese brands already have an established presence, the BYD Dolphin Mini starts at 399,800 Mexican pesos (R$ 119 thousand). In China, the same car, named Seagull, has an initial price starting from 69,900 yuan (R$ 54 thousand).
The Brazilian market illustrates what happens in the absence of barriers. The Dolphin Mini is offered in Brazil starting from R$ 109,990 for individuals, a value lower than that practiced in Mexico. Furthermore, in March, it became the first electric vehicle to feature among the top ten best-selling in the country, registering 7,053 registrations.
In the United States, besides tariffs, there are Department of Commerce regulations prohibiting the use of Chinese software in connected vehicles starting from the 2027 model year and hardware from 2030. This rule has already resulted in Polestar's withdrawal from the American market. Additionally, a project approved by a Senate committee in July proposes banning any manufacturer that owns more than 15% Chinese capital.
In Canada, the situation is the opposite: an agreement signed with Beijing reduced the tariff from 100% to 6.1% on an annual quota of 49,000 Chinese EVs.
In parallel, Ford is developing a low-cost electric vehicle line, conceived from the beginning, with the goal of matching the industrial efficiency and cost of Chinese competitors. In Europe, the company ceded part of its Almussafes factory in Spain to Geely, allowing it to produce on the continent without incurring European tariffs.