Ford CEO Jim Farley warned on March 6, 2026, that the company may eliminate its 1,500-person design and engineering workforce in Australia. This move pressures the Australian government to ease new vehicle emissions standards and improve local car development conditions. Farley stated that Australian operations must remain competitive in speed and cost to continue developing global models like the Ranger ute.
The announcement coincides with a 5.5 percent decline in Ford's U.S. sales for February. Electric vehicle sales plummeted by 71 percent during this period. Hybrid vehicle sales also fell by 22 percent.
Additionally, Ford is executing a recall of over 600,000 SUVs. The recall addresses a defect involving windshield wiper motors.