Ford’s CEO, who drives a Xiaomi SU7, raises the alarm about Chinese cars: «Superior to what I see in the West»

The Chinese automotive industry is rapidly expanding its presence in the European and American markets. This puts considerable pressure on traditional automakers, including Ford. The company’s CEO, Jim Farley, publicly recognized the threat and called the situation «a fight for the future». At the same time, he admitted that he has been driving a Chinese electric car for six months now — and does not want to part with it. Because he is consistent.

During his speech at the Aspen Ideas Festival, Jim Farley warned that Chinese automakers are rapidly changing the landscape of the automotive industry. They are not just copying, but offering sophisticated designs, modern technologies, and most importantly — affordable prices that are significantly lower than their European and American counterparts. This makes them extremely attractive to buyers.

Once upon a time, leadership belonged to the West — in Europe, the German «Big Three» rule, and the United States was dominated by General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler). Today, the situation has changed. Chinese brands are rapidly gaining momentum, while Western companies are forced to reconsider their plans. The Trump administration has changed the US government’s strategy for electric vehicles, which has slowed the pace of the transition to electric traction.

For example, Ford canceled the project of a large electric SUV and postponed the launch of a new pickup truck. Tesla has abandoned plans to launch an affordable compact electric car, and General Motors has lowered its forecasts for electric car production.

Although Chinese electric vehicles have not yet entered the U.S. market en masse, it is only a matter of time. Farley emphasizes: “70% of all electric cars are sold in China. They produce models with amazing equipment and high build quality. Huawei and Xiaomi integrate their systems into every car: no Bluetooth settings — everything is automatically synchronized with the driver’s digital life.

Farley has traveled to China several times to see the competition firsthand. His impressions: «It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen in my life».

Even more interestingly, the Ford team even brought several Chinese cars to the United States, which were delivered to the Detroit headquarters for study. First, it was the Li Auto model (in early 2023), and recently, the sporty Xiaomi SU7. It was this model that the Ford executive started driving. At the Fully Charged show in October 2024, he confessed:

Obviously, the threat from Chinese automakers is not just about price or volume. It’s also about technology, interfaces, integration with the digital environment, and the ability to impress customers. It is not surprising that electric crossover YU7 collected almost 290 thousand orders in the first hour after the launch.

The situation looks like a mirror. Now, American engineers are studying Chinese automotive products to adopt best practices, and Chinese cars are attracting even the heads of American brands.

Source: autoevolution