Plans to build one of Europe’s largest electric vehicle battery cell plants have fallen through. Ford’s partnership with LG Energy Solutions (LGES) and Koç Holding is scrapping plans to produce EV battery cells in the region, citing the “current pace of EV adoption.”
Ford, LGES drop plans for EV battery plant in Turkey
Ford, LGES, and Koç Holding signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in February to establish “one of Europe’s largest commercial EV battery cell” plants in Turkey.
Annual production was intended to reach at least 25 GWh, with the potential to be expanded up to 45 GWh to build battery cells. The JV said they were on track to break ground later this year, with production starting in 2026.
Lisa Drake, VP of Ford EV industrialization, said the battery plant would “lay a solid foundation to building a thriving electric vehicle future for Ford in Europe.”
Meanwhile, the JV was still subject to final agreement by all parties. According to Turkey’s Koç Holding on Friday (via Automotive News Europe), “the timing is not appropriate for a battery cell investment.”
Ford E-Transit is ready to ship from Ford Otosan’s Gölcük plant (Source: Ford)
The company blamed “the current pace of electric vehicle adoption” as the reason. Koç added, “Ford and Koc Holding will remain committed to support electric vehicle production at Ford Otosan’s Kocaeli plant.”
It will “evaluate potential battery cell investments in the future in line with the dynamics of the electric vehicle market.”
(Source: Ford)
The American automaker and Koç have worked together for almost 60 years, including building Transit vans through the Ford Otosan joint venture. It will begin building E-Transit and electric vans for VW as part of the automaker’s collaboration.
LGES also supplies batteries from its Poland plant for the Ford Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit. The battery giant said the three partners mutually agreed to drop the plans due to the “current pace of consumer electrification adoption.”
Electrek’s Take
Is the pace of EV adoption slowing? There’s been a lot of discussion on the topic lately.
The downbeat outlook is over fears that higher interest rates could cut into consumer buying power next year in Europe and China.
Meanwhile, pure EV makers, including Tesla, BYD, and Rivian, continue their hot streaks as EV adoption climbs globally.
Other automakers that were earlier to adopt EVs, including Volvo and Hyundai, expect the momentum to continue with new exciting electric models launching next year. So, is it the market? With newer, advanced electric models on the market, some brands are already getting squeezed out.
EV leaders, including Tesla and BYD, have drastically cut prices all year, forcing others to do the same. The only difference is Tesla and BYD can afford lower margins. Can others afford widening losses?
The adoption of EVs will continue climbing year-over-year. Automakers that put the early effort in are already reaping the rewards. Continuing to push back investments in favor of the present will be costly in the future.
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It’s a big day for upstart electric semi truck manufacturer Windrose. The company has lined up what could be a landmark, $60 million deal and announced plans to being shipping its innovative HDEV trucks to South America.
ChinaTrucks is reporting that Windrose has lined up a deal to supply several hundred of its long-range, battery-powered heavy-duty trucks to US-based, zero emissions logistics company Nevoya that, once finalized, will represent the startup’s largest North American order to date. The agreement, which is reportedly valued at more than 430 million yuan (approximately $60 million, as I type this), has initial deliveries of the Windrose R700 BEV semi planned by the end of 2025, with full deployment expected by the end of 2026.
The company used its own electric trucks to complete the logistics process between warehouses and ports in both Shanghai and Los Angeles, achieving what it’s calling a fully zero-emission transport loop. Windrose CEO Wen Han posted the knock-down kits arriving at the Port of Long Beach a few days ago, and it appears that these could be the first of hundreds of electric semi trucks destined for deployment at Nevoya.
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Expansion plans
Windrose R700 electric semi truck; via Windrose.
At the same time, Windrose announced expansion into its 5th continent, thanks to a partnership with Chilean logistics firm Trailerlogistics Sudamerica.
Chile has a goal of reaching 100% zero-emission sales of freight transport and intercity buses by 2045. This aligns with its broader National Electromobility Strategy, which targets carbon neutrality by 2050. Chile is ranked as the 5th largest economy in Latin America by nominal GDP and 46th in the world (just above Finland and Portugal). Further, Chile has the highest per-capita GDP in Latin America. In 2024, there were 14,267 trucks sold in Chile, according to National Automotive Association of Chile.
For their part, Trailerlogistics Sudamerica seems excited by the prospect of electrifying their fleet with Windrose. “I am completely convinced Chile is the perfect market to start with Windrose in South America,” says Hernan Searle Ferrari, the company’s founder and CEO. “Apart from having totally open trade agreements with all international markets, Chile boast world-class highways and a unique geography; from the desert in the north, all the way south down to Antarctica, covering a total of 4000km. This will allow us to continue developing the dominance of our long-haul EV technology in all terrains.”
The first Windrose trucks will arrive in Chile to begin route testing with Trailerlogistics later this year, with a stated goal of deploying up to 100 trucks by the end of 2026.
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Save up to 35% on ECOVACS’ Goat RTK robot lawn mowers with fisheye cameras starting from an $850 low
Amazon is offering the ECOVACS Goat O1000 RTK Robot Lawn Mower for $849.99 shipped, which beats out the brand’s direct website pricing by $50. This newer lawn care solution has only been on the market for five months and normally goes for $1,000 at full price, with discounts having mostly taken the price down to $900, aside from the two recent falls to the $850 low in May and June, while getting skipped over during Prime Day sales. This is the third time that we’ve seen this all-time low price appear with $150 cut from the tag price, and you’ll also find its upgraded counterpart benefitting from a discount below.
The ECOVACS Goat O1000 robot mower is the base model of the series designed to handle up to 1/4 of an acre of land on each full charge, with it able to stop, charge, and return to its duties for larger yards. Forget having to deal with laying boundary wires here, as it’s been given RTK navigation that provides more accurate location tracking on top of efficient route planning, with bolstered support from the LiDAR (3D-ToF) and fisheye camera that can take over steering when it enters heavily shaded or tree-lined areas that the satellites can’t see into. There’s also AIVI 3D obstacle avoidance tech, with the added bonus that it can also identify small animals alongside everyday inanimate objects around your yard – whether in the sun or in the dark.
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ECOVACS’ Goat robot mowers can fit into tighter spaces between fences and the like that a normal mower may struggle or fail to tackle well, thanks to the compact and narrow design of its body, with it even given an IPX6 waterproof construction should it need to tough out sudden weather changes as it works. There’s plenty of remote smart controls available via its companion app, giving you the means to adjust settings, monitor its real-time performance, and edit the 3D maps it creates.
There’s also the more advanced ECOVACS Goat A2500 RTK Robot Lawn Mower down at its second-lowest price of $1,299.99 shipped right now, down from its $2,000 price tag. This model comes with a 32V motor and dual-blade discs, with a 5Ah battery that allows it to cover up to 5,382 square feet of mowing on a single charge, which it can be ready to pick back up on after only 45 minutes of charging at its station. It brings much of the same smart capabilities for its navigation and obstacle avoidance as the above model, with the added bonus of responding to voice commands via Alexa or Google Assistant too.
Shepherd kids and packages with Rad Power’s popular RadWagon 4 cargo e-bike at $1,499
As part of its ongoing Back to School Sale running through August 6, Rad Power Bikes is offering its RadWagon 4 Cargo e-bike at $1,499 shipped, alongside the ongoing low RadExpand 5 pricing and the new RadRunner e-bike bundles. This popular model fetches $1,799 at full price, which we’ve only seen dropped down to $1,599 over the last year, with more frequent returns to $1,499 in 2025 or otherwise given some bundled accessory packages. This is the lowest price we have tracked in the last two years, beaten out by the $1,399 post-launch low from 2023 and the all-time $1,299 preorder low from its launch years before.
EcoFlow’s final July Monthly Madness flash sale takes up to 55% off DELTA 2 Max and DELTA Pro 3 bundles starting from $1,349
As part of the final days of its July Monthly Madness Sale running through July 31, EcoFlow has launched the last of this sale’s scheduled 24-hour flash sales through tomorrow at 9 a.m. PDT / 12 p.m. EST with up to 55% discounts on two solar generator bundles and an increased EcoCredits one-time purchase promotion. The most budget-friendly of the two bundles gives you the DELTA 2 Max Portable Power Station with a 400W solar panel at $1,349 shipped, and that price matches at Amazon too. This bundle would normally cost you $2,298 at full price, with discounts having mostly kept costs between $1,399 and $1,599 over the year, though we have seen it go as low as $1,279 during Prime Day. You’re looking at a 55% markdown here for the next 24 hours that saves you $949 at the third-lowest price we have tracked. Head below to learn more about this unit and the other offers during this sale.
Cover storm cleanup, firewood, more with Greenworks’ Pro 80V 18-inch cordless chainsaw at $199 low
Amazon is offering the Greenworks Pro 80V 18-inch Brushless Cordless Chainsaw with 2.0Ah battery at $199 shipped, while it’s priced at $229 directly from the brand’s website. It carries a $350 MSRP direct from Greenworks, but we have been seeing it more often at $299 at Amazon, with discounts mostly keeping things at $229 on average, with two previous falls to the $199 low, most recently during Prime Day three weeks ago. You’re looking at the best price we have tracked on this pro-grade model, giving you significant power for sawing needs with $100 cut from the tag (and $151 off the MSRP).
The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.
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Ford (F) reported Q2 2025 earnings on Wednesday, beating top and bottom line expectations. Despite the revenue growth, Ford is warning profits will take a hit thanks to Trump’s tariffs. We will also learn about Ford’s plans to build “breakthrough” EVs in the US very soon.
Ford Q2 2025 earnings preview
After suspending full-year guidance in May, Ford warned that it expected to take a $2.5 billion hit from Trump’s auto tariffs.
Given that Ford builds more vehicles in the US than any major automaker, outside of Tesla, it’s expected to see less of an impact from the 25% tariff on imports.
Ford imports just about 21% of the vehicles it sells in the US. In comparison, crosstown rival GM imports around 46%. GM announced last week that the tariffs cost it an extra $1.1 billion in the second quarter. For the full year, GM still expects a $4 billion to $5 billion impact.
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Unlike GM, Ford breaks down earnings into three units, including Model e, its electric vehicle business. Ford’s Model e posted a nearly $1 billion loss in the first quarter, but new EVs rolling out in Europe boosted revenue.
Although Ford’s vehicle sales rose 14% to over 612,000 in Q2, EV sales dropped 31% to just 16,438. Ford spokesperson Martin Gunsberg told Electrek that both the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning were impacted by the changeover to the 2025 model year and the Mach-E recall.
Ford Mustang Mach-E (left) and F-150 Lightning (right) (Source: Ford)
According to Estimize, Wall Street expects Ford to post second-quarter EPS of $0.33 on revenue of $43.75 billion.
Improving costs and more EV news to come
Ford beat earnings estimates posting second quarter revenue a record $50.02 billion in revenue, up 5% YOY and an adjusted EPS of $0.37.
Ford Q2 2025 Revenue: $50.02 billion vs $43.75 billion expected
Ford Q2 2025 adjusted EPS: $0.37 vs $0.33 expected
Despite the higher revenue, Ford posted a $36 million net loss, which was due to a “field service action and expenses related to a previously announced cancellation of an electric vehicle program.” It also incurred an $800 million loss due to tariffs in the quarter.
Ford Pro continues to drive both top and bottom-line growth with high-margin revenue streams from software and services.
Its Model e EV business, on the other hand, lost another $1.3 billion in the second quarter. Through the first half of the year, Model e has now lost $2.2 billion.
Ford Model e Q2 2025 earnings (Source: Ford)
Ford attributed the higher losses to tariff-related costs and investments in launching its new EV battery plant in Michigan.
After launching new EVs in Europe, like the Capri and electric Explorer, Model e’s revenue doubled to $2.4 billion. Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning material costs also improved in the quarter.
Ford’s electric vehicles in Europe from left to right: Puma Gen-E, Explorer, Capri, and Mustang Mach-E (Source: Ford)
Ford now expects full-year adjusted EBIT of $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion, including a $2 billion hit from tariffs. That’s down from the $7 billion to $8.5 billion it previously forecasted.
The company will partially offset a $3 billion gross adjusted EBIT impact, partially offset by $1 billion in recovery actions.
CEO Jim Farley announced an event on August 11 in Kentucky, where Ford will share more details about its “plans to design and build breakthrough electric vehicles in America.”
Check back for more info from Ford’s Q2 2025 earnings call. We will keep you updated with the latest.
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