Ford is considering selling its manufacturing plant in Germany to EV maker BYD, signaling a big step for Chinese-made electric vehicles.
As Ford winds down production of its once best-selling Ford Focus at its Saarlouis manufacturing plant in Germany to focus on electric vehicles, the automaker is looking to part ways with the facility.
According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, Ford’s plant may go to none other than China’s largest EV maker, BYD. BYD, or “Build Your Dreams,” produced its final combustion vehicle in 2022 to align its focus on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
The leading Chinese EV maker has quickly expanded its network, launching a market trial in Norway in 2020, kick-starting its European campaign, and announcing plans to sell EVs in Japan.
BYD looks to become a global leader in EVs with a growing European presence. The company said it would start selling EVs in Germany and Sweden by the end of 2022 while expanding into the UK, France, and other major markets this year.
Before the end of the year, BYD confirmed plans to build at least one manufacturing plant (maybe two) in Europe to support the expansion and put it in a position to become a global EV powerhouse.
BYD ATTO 3 (Source: BYD)
BYD in talks to buy Ford’s German plant
As discussions heat up between Ford and BYD, Germany could be the next home for its EV manufacturing footprint. The WSJ reported Tuesday that “officials from Ford’s management in Germany are planning to travel to China next week to discuss the potential sale of a plant in Saarlouis.”
Talks are still in the early stages, and the deal may not come to fruition. According to the report, BYD was among around 15 potential investors.
Meanwhile, Ford has committed to an all-electric lineup in Europe by 2035, but as the company aligns its production strategy for electric vehicles, it has implemented several rounds of layoffs.
Last summer, Ford cut 8,000 jobs after CEO Jim Farley said the automaker had too many employees and needed to downsize. More recently, Ford of Europe announced 2,500 to 4,000 product development jobs could be in jeopardy, primarily in Germany and the UK, as it shifts away from combustion vehicles and focuses on EVs like the Mustang Mach-E.
Electrek’s Take
Although BYD’s sales are primarily concentrated in China, the automaker is rapidly expanding its network. An EV manufacturing plant in Germany would be a big step for Chinese electric vehicles, but domestic automakers may not be thrilled.
European automakers are accelerating their EV strategies in response. Volkswagen led the region, delivering 330,000 EVs globally in 2022, followed by BMW (215,755 deliveries) and Mercedes-Benz (117,800 total EV deliveries).
As demand for electric vehicles heats up, the industry is undergoing significant changes. Legacy automakers are transitioning from combustion to electric, while dedicated EV makers are expanding production as quickly as possible.
A BYD investment in Ford’s German plant could shake the industry further. We’ll update you when we hear more about the final details.
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A dozen Tesla vehicles burned at a store in Toulouse, France. Arson is suspected amid global protests and vandalism attacks against Tesla and Elon Musk.
Last night, a dozen Tesla vehicles burned down at Tesla’s retail and service location in Plaisance-du-Touch near Toulouse, France.
Firefighters arrived on the scene at around 4 a.m. and contained the fire to the vehicles. Eight of them were completely destroyed, and four were greatly damaged. The damages are estimated at over 700,000 euros.
According to the local news (translated from French), the police suspected arson as a hole was found in a fence, and threats had been made over the last few weeks. The Tesla location remained closed all day.
In France, there were a few protests planned, but some extremist groups are calling for widespread arson against Tesla stores:
I won’t share the link to the article since it gives step-by-step instructions on how to burn down Tesla stores without getting caught, but the manifesto explains that they are going after Tesla as a “symbol of capitalism,” although they also list a dozen other reasons including the fact that they think it’s “doable and cheap.”
Electrek’s Take
This is getting nuts. It’s not only dangerous, but it’s also not super effective in achieving the goal they claim to want to achieve.
Have they never heard of insurance? Tesla is having issues selling cars right now. You are burning unsold inventory that they can then claim to their insurance.
Sure, it disrupts their operations for a short period of time, but it’s not worth it.
Their manifesto does say to avoid violence and not to target vehicles owned by individuals – though it doesn’t sound like a strict rule for them, but I think these people are likely going to end up in jail for having achieved nothing.
The protests and boycotts are going strong. You don’t need to burn cars to make yourself heard.
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Is Ford’s electric pickup in trouble? Sales have been down for months, and February showed no relief. What’s going on with the Ford F-150 Lightning?
Ford F-150 Lightning sales drop again in February 2025
Ford’s US sales dropped by 9% last month. Although electrified vehicles, including EVs and hybrids, both notched double-digit growth, sales of Ford’s gas-powered (ICE) models, which accounted for over 85% of deliveries, fell nearly 13%.
Hybrids saw higher demand with sales up 27.5% to 15,357, while EV sales increased 15% to 7,326. The Mustang Mach-E was a bright spot with 3,312 models sold in February, up 13% from the prior year.
With 6,841 Mach-Es sold through the first three months of 2025, Ford’s electric crossover SUV remains a top-selling EV in the US.
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Ford’s electric pickup didn’t fare as well. F-150 Lightning Sales were down nearly 15% last month with only 2,199 units sold. Through March, Ford has sold 15% fewer Lightning models than it did at this time last year.
2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum Black (Source: Ford)
Sales of the electric pickup have been slipping for months now. In the final three months of 2024, F-150 Lightning sales were down 10%.
The Lightning, alongside Rivian’s R1T, are no longer the only electric pickups on the market. Ford is facing new competition with the Tesla Cybertruck, Chevy Silverado EV, and GMC Sierra EV, arriving.
2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Flash (Source: Ford)
According to Cox Automotive, the Tesla Cybertruck slipped past the Lightning to become the fifth best-selling EV in the US last year with nearly 39,000 units sold. Ford’s Lightning was sixth with just over 33,500 models sold.
Ford extended its “Power Promise” promo earlier this year to boost demand, giving EV buyers a Level 2 home charger and other benefits, but Lightning sales are still down.
Ford Mustang Mach-E (left) and F-150 Lightning (right) (Source: Ford)
The American automaker cut Lightning production at its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center last year, citing slower-than-expected demand. A new report from Automotive News claims Ford is now ending a pilot program to stock and distribute EVs through regional hubs after it failed to catch on. It was designed to speed up deliveries.
Although Ford plans to launch a smaller midsize electric pickup, it won’t arrive until at least two more years. With new competition, like the Ram 1500 REV and Volkswagen Scout pickup, hitting the market over the next few years, Ford may find it even harder to attract buyers.
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Costco’s Auto Program recently introduced some new member-only incentives, and the 2025 Volvo EX90 BEV is now on its list.
Volvo is offering Costco Executive Members $2,000 off the 2025 EX90. Costco Gold Star and Business members are eligible for $1,500 off. The incentives are available on all versions of the Volvo EX90 for members who purchase or lease from February 24 to April 30, 2025. It’s the only non-GM EV that’s that’s eligible for an incentive through the EV program.
The offer is compatible with A-Plan pricing for employees, as well as Affinity Pricing for teachers and first responders. Costco members will have had to have been members as of February 23 and be the primary members on the Costco account to qualify.
Volvo EX90 interior (Source: Volvo)
However, CarsDirect gave the heads up on how buyers can get up to $10,000 off the EX90’s MSRP. As we stated, if you’re a Costco Executive Member, that’s $2,000 off. Then, add the $7,500 EV Lease Allowance and a $500 loyalty discount on leases if you currently own or lease a Volvo or have owned or leased a Volvo within the past six months.
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With the destination fee included, the base EX90 MSRP starts at $81,290, so that brings it down to $71,290, a more than 12% discount, a pretty good deal.
The 2025 AWD Volvo EX90, which can seat seven passengers comfortably, has a range of up to 310 miles and is NACS-compatible. It has a 510 hp engine, 110 kWh battery capacity, and can go from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds.
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