Ford CEO calls out America’s love for ‘monster vehicles’ with smaller $30,000 EV coming
As the leader of the over 120-year-old automaker, Ford CEO Jim Farley has an essential job of steering it into the future. Farley said smaller EVs, which Ford is shifting toward, are “super important for our society.” Meanwhile, Farley addressed the love for larger, “monster vehicles” in the US.
Although Ford is known for its big, heavy trucks and SUVs, its future may be much lighter. Ford’s CEO confirmed that the automaker needs a “radical change” as it focuses on smaller, more profitable EVs.
“We are just in love with these monster vehicles,” Ford’s CEO said at the Aspen Ideas Festival Friday. And although Farley agreed, “I love them too,” he acknowledged they are a major issue due to their weight.
Ford’s CEO added, “We have to start to get back in love with smaller vehicles. It’s super important for our society and for EV adoption.”
After Farley revealed earlier this year that the company had been secretly working on a new EV platform for smaller, low-cost EVs, Ford is doubling down.
Ford is expected to launch an electric car for around $30,000 in 2027. According to Farley, it will be profitable.
Ford is shifting away from monster vehicles with EVs
Although Farley didn’t reveal any new details, Ford is building a team with “some of the best EV engineers” to make the vehicle come to life. Ford has recruited former Tesla, Rivian, Apple, and Lucid engineers to develop the platform.
In an interview with CNBC, Farley said to get to a profitable EV, you have to make a “radical change.”
That change from Ford comes as it delayed plans for a larger three-row electric SUV to focus on smaller EVs that can turn a profit. Ford is also pushing back its next-gen EV pickup, the “T3,” until 2026.
Farley explained that “big, enormous EVs” are never going to make money. “The battery alone is $50,000,” he said, referring to larger-duty vehicles like Ford’s Super Duty models, which would need massive battery packs to enable +500 smile range.
Ford must build EVs profitably in the next five years as leading Chinese automakers like BYD expand into new global markets.
Farley explained that Ford already has competition that make money on EVs, are expanding globally, and building their supply chains.
“And if we don’t make profitable EVs in the next five years, what is the future? We will just shrink into North America.”
Ford lost $132,000 on every EV sold in the first three months of the year, but Farley is confident Ford’s next-gen models will be profitable.
Electrek’s Take
Although Ford has historically made the most money from “monster vehicles,” like larger trucks and SUVs, Farley is right. It will shrink if Ford fails to keep up in the global EV race.
About 98% of Ford’s profits come from the US, but what will happen when lower-cost, more advanced EVs from foreign automakers hit the US market? We are already seeing overseas rivals like Hyundai and Kia gaining market share in the US.
Kia and Hyundai are launching smaller, more affordable EVs in global markets. Kia’s EV3 has already secured over 10,000 reservations in Korea, starting at $30,700 (KRW 42.08 million).
Most others are at this point, too. Volvo’s $35,000 EX30 is hitting new global markets (although it’s delayed again in the US). GM says the $35,000 Chevy Equinox EV model will be available to order later this year.
Will Ford find its market? That’s what Farley hopes for by doubling down on smaller, more affordable EVs now.
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The new and improved 2026 Kia EV9 and 2025 EV6 are eligible for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, but one trim is excluded.
Do the Kia EV6 and EV9 qualify for the federal tax credit?
Kia’s first dedicated electric vehicle, the EV6, received some pretty major upgrades for its mid-cycle update this year.
The 2025 EV6 features a bigger battery providing more range (now up to 319 miles), a stylish interior and exterior redesign, and an NACS port for charging at Tesla Superchargers.
Kia’s first three-row electric SUV, the EV9, also has a native NACS charging port and will be the first model year to offer a high-performance GT trim.
We got a good look at the EV9 GT at the LA Auto Show last year (check it out here). The sporty electric SUV boasts 501 hp, which is quite a bit more than the current GT-Line’s 379 hp. The added power is enough for the big-body SUV to move from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds.
Although Kia America’s vice president of sales, Eric Watson, confirmed the EV6 and EV9 are now in “full-scale production” at its plant in West Point, Georgia, not all trims will qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
According to CarsDirect, Kia told dealers that the 2025 EV6 and 2026 EV9 GT trims wouldn’t be eligible for the credit. A spokesperson said the exclusion is because Kia builds the EV6 GT and EV9 GT in South Korea, while all other trims are assembled in Georgia.
If Trump’s 25% tariff on South Korea is still in effect when the GT models launch in the US, it could create a significant price gap between trims.
Despite this, you will likely still be able to take advantage of the credit through leasing. Kia, like many, is passing the $7,500 on through lease cash, which can significantly cut monthly payments.
Kia will reveal more info, including prices, closer to launch. Check back soon. We’ll keep you updated with the latest.
With the new models arriving soon, Kia is offering clearance pricing on outgoing models. Monthly leases start as low as $179. You can use our links below to find deals on the Kia EV6 and EV9 near you.
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Donald Trump is expected to sign executive orders today to resuscitate the US coal industry – here’s why this is a complete waste of time.
Once again, using “emergency authority” by citing the growing power needs from data centers, EVs, and AI, the executive orders will allow some old coal-fired power plants scheduled for retirement to stay online.
The orders will also direct federal agencies to identify coal resources on federal lands, lift barriers to coal mining barriers, and prioritize coal leasing on US lands.
An Obama-era moratorium that paused coal leasing on federal lands will officially be acknowledged and federal agencies will be required to scrap policies moving away from US coal production. Trump also wants to boost coal exports and speed up coal technology development.
Electrek’s Take
The coal and mineral industry is happy about this executive order, as well as the EPA recently giving them a free pass to pollute, and the MAGA crowd might think this is great, but no one else thinks this clever.
Trump can try to pretend that coal is “clean,” but it doesn’t change the fact that coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels – its emissions killed 460,000 people between 1999 and 2020. Plus, it’s not even cost-effective – even natural gas is cheaper than coal. And these plants are old – the average age of the plants that are online is 53.
Coal has been in decline for a long time – it peaked in 2007. As I just wrote last month, coal fell to a record low of 15% of total electricity generation in the US in 2024, and wind and solar accounted for 17% of total electricity generation. That’s right – wind and solar successfully provided more power generation in the US than coal last year.
And while electricity demand will indeed skyrocket over the following decades, clean energy is capable of meeting that demand. The Energy Information Administration projects that in 2025, 93% of new power added to the US grid will be from solar, wind, and battery storage.
In an emailed statement, Kit Kennedy, managing director for power at the Natural Resources Defense Council, questioned whether a mandate for Americans to commute by horse and buggy would be next. It’s a fitting sentiment because the fact that I’m even writing a story in 2025 about why trying to revive coal is a bad idea feels ludicrous. Trump seems to forget he’s not William McKinley and this isn’t 1900.
Read more: Renewables to continue driving US power generation growth – EIA
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After a few “technical advances,” BMW is upgrading its EVs with more driving range, features, and options. All BMW i5 models now have more range, while the 2026 iX has an EPA-estimated driving range of up to 364 miles.
BMW iX and i5 EVs gain more range
BMW announced 2025 model year updates coming this spring with a few exciting improvements to look forward to.
The BMW i5 eDrive40 features up to 310 miles of range, up from 295 miles in the outgoing model. Meanwhile, the i5 xDrive40 has a driving range of up to 278 miles, up from 266 miles in the 2025 model year.
BMW said that the improvements are due to “a number of technical advances that reduce energy consumption, and, thus, improve their range.” The new i5 uses a more efficient, more powerful SiC inverter, which also powers the new 2026 iX.
All BMW 5 Series models are available with a new Frozen Portimao Blue metallic paint color. Two new Merino leather interior colors have also been added: Dark Violet/Atlas Grey and Taupe/Atlas Grey.
| BMW i5 model | Driving Range (increase from MY2025) |
| i5 eDrive40 (19-in wheels) | 310 mi (+ 5%) |
| i5 eDrive40 (20-in wheels) | 300 mi (+ 8%) |
| i5 eDrive40 (21-in wheels) | 278 mi (+ 3%) |
| i5 xDrive40 (19-in wheels) | 278 mi (+ 5%) |
| i5 xDrive40 (20-in wheels) | 272 mi (+ 4%) |
| i5 xDrive40 (21-in wheels) | 259 mi (+ 4%) |
Although BMW revealed the 2026 iX earlier this year, the company now says it has an even greater EPA-estimated range than it projected.
The 2026 BMW iX xDrive60 is rated with a range of 364 miles when equipped with 20″ Aero wheels on summer tires, 7% higher than the 340 miles it initially expected. It’s also a drastic improvement from the 309-mile rating for the 2025MY.
Despite the upgrades, BMW’s electric SUV gets a $12,100 price cut thanks to a new entry-level xDrive45 model, which starts at just $75,150.
| Horsepower | Starting Price* | Driving Range | |
| 2026 BMW iX xDrive45 | 402 hp | $75,150 | 312 miles |
| 2026 BMW iX xDrive60 | 536 hp | $88,500 | 364 miles |
| 2026 BMW iX M70 | 650 hp | $115,500 | 303 miles |
BMW fine-tuned the exterior, which now includes new vertical headlights and a revamped Kidney Grille that illuminates.
The 2026 BMW iX is also the first BMW to feature its new Curved Display OS with video streaming, in-car gaming, and more.
Ready to try out BMW’s electric cars for yourself? We can help you get started. Check out our links below to find BMW iX and i5 models near you.
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