Ford Motor Company Chairman, Bill Ford, told a major news network in the US that the Yanks cannot yet compete with China when it comes to EVs, according to Reuters.
"They developed very quickly, and they developed them in large scale. And now they're exporting them," Ford told CNN's 'Fareed Zakaria GPS' Sunday programme. "They're not here but they'll come here we think, at some point, we need to be ready, and we're getting ready," Bill says.
In February, the automaker announced plans to invest $3.5 billion to build an electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan in a deal that involved using technology from Chinese battery company CATL, attracting attention from a US Senator who asked the Biden administration to review the deal.
Bill Ford, who is the great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford, said in the programme that the Michigan battery plant is a chance for Ford engineers to learn the technology and then use it themselves.
"It (Michigan) is a wholly owned Ford facility. They will be our employees, and all we are doing is licensing the technology. That’s it," he says.
Ford CEO, Jim Farley, said in May that Chinese electric vehicle makers were its main rivals in the sector, and that Ford needs distinctive branding or lower costs to beat Chinese automakers.
"I think we see the Chinese as the main competitor, not GM or Toyota. The Chinese are going to be the powerhouse," he said.
The used car group, Cubbi, has officially opened the doors of its new flagship megastore in Germiston, a site with more than 300 vehicles ranging from entry-level hatchbacks to premium SUVs.
After an absence if six years, Tata passenger vehicles are back with a bang in South Africa. The last model launched locally was the Bolt, which followed in the tracks of the more well-known Indica.
Kia launched an enhanced version of its Carnival, a versatile companion for families.
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You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.
Henry Ford
Chery South Africa showcased the latest addition to its Tiggo 7 range; the CSH Plug-in Hybrid’s efficiency on a road trip managed to squeeze 1 290km from a single tank of petrol.
No battery, no power. It is a simple truth about that important component, which ensures our vehicles can move from A to B.
The demand for new energy vehicles (NEVs) keep growing in South Africa with a steep increase in greener mobility during the last two years.
