In its bid to introduce more affordable electric vehicles, Ford has aggressively recruited top engineers from leading EV companies like Tesla, Rivian, Apple, and Lucid. This move is part of Ford’s strategy to accelerate the development of a cost-effective EV platform.
In February, Ford CEO Jim Farley disclosed that the company committed to developing an affordable EV platform two years ago, operating as a startup within Ford. Despite initially being a small team, it comprised “some of the best EV engineers in the world,” including notable talent like Alan Clarke, who worked on the Tesla Model Y.
New data from TechCrunch reveals that the team, which had fewer than 100 members a few months ago, has now grown to approximately 300. Over the past year, Ford hired 50 employees from Rivian, over 20 from Tesla, about 12 from Canoo, 10 from Lucid, and several from Apple’s canceled Project Titan. The hiring spree intensified after Rivian announced a 10% workforce reduction in February, leading Ford to hire many of Rivian’s engineers.
Ford’s team, internally called “Ford Advanced EV,” aims to develop breakthrough EV products and technologies. This team also includes talent from eVTOL leaders like Joby, Archer Aviation, and Hyundai’s Supernal, indicating Ford’s broad approach to innovative technology.
Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV, digital, and design officer, emphasized that the Ford Advanced EV team is part of a global effort to build focused technology and product development teams in key talent centers. The team is tasked with creating a flexible platform capable of supporting various vehicle types, potentially extending to other areas of the company, such as Ford Pro.
