TechCrunch Mobility: Ford’s big bet

Ford announced a $2 billion investment to convert its Louisville Assembly Plant into a facility for producing a new generation of affordable electric vehicles (EVs), starting with a midsize pickup truck priced around $30,000, expected to launch in 2027. CEO Jim Farley emphasized the risks involved, noting that the project is a significant bet involving many new approaches. Ford developed a novel three-pronged assembly line using increased automation and unicastings, departing from its traditional manufacturing methods to build EVs more efficiently and maintain profit margins. This $5 billion experiment, including a $3 billion investment in a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery factory, aims to keep jobs in the U.S. amid challenges like tariffs, slower EV demand, and competition from China. However, the new manufacturing technique is vehicle-specific and cannot be easily applied to other Ford factories. The article also briefly covers other mobility sector news: rental car startup Kyte has effectively ceased operations after selling its customer list to peer-to