Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford reportedly expressed confidence that Elon Musk’s relationship with President-elect Donald Trump will not negatively impact traditional automakers like Ford. In an interaction with the media on the sidelines of a product announcement at the Detroit Auto Show, Ford emphasized that Trump has developed a better understanding of the automotive sector compared to his first term in office.
Incidentally, Trump had a fraught relationship with Detroit carmakers during his first term, and the companies often sparred with the president over labor, trade, tariffs and regulations.
Ford explained that Trump reached out to him last week to discuss various key issues facing the auto industry, such as tariffs and the importance of maintaining a robust manufacturing base in the United States. According to Ford, Trump’s understanding of the industry has evolved since his initial years in office, noting that it took some “education” to help Trump grasp the complexities of the sector during his first term.
Despite the close ties between Trump and Musk, CEO of electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc., Ford is not concerned that this alliance will harm legacy automakers. Ford stressed that both Tesla and traditional automakers like Ford are aligned on many important issues, including the future of manufacturing and the overall direction of the automotive industry.
Ford said that considering Trump has his number, “I feel very confident that, going forward, Ford will have a voice, and a seat at the table.”
Talking about Chinese competition on electric vehicles, Ford said, “It’s not matching the technology. It’s not matching how the vehicles are put together. It’s really not even matching the battery itself. But it really is the affordability to the customer that becomes, sort of the crucible, whether this is going to succeed or not. We’re working really hard on that.”
