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Ford CEO drives Chinese EV as his company promotes US-made models

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Ford CEO Jim Farley is facing backlash after publicly sharing he’s been driving an electric vehicle (EV) from the Chinese brand Xiaomi for months. The comment, made during an appearance on the “Fully Charged” podcast, comes as Ford has emphasized its commitment to American manufacturing, calling their EV lineup “proudly American made.”

“I don’t like talking about the competition so much, but I drive the Xiaomi,” Farley said. “We flew one from Shanghai to Chicago, and I’ve been driving it for six months now and I don’t want to give it up.”

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In 2021, the Trump administration blacklisted Xiaomi for alleged ties to the Chinese military. However, this designation was later lifted under the Biden administration following a legal challenge from Xiaomi.

The American Energy Institute has voiced its criticism over Farley’s decision to drive a Xiaomi electric vehicle. CEO Jason Isaac called it “a slap in the face to the thousands of hardworking employees at Ford.”

Isaac questioned the optics of a U.S. automaker’s chief executive selecting a Chinese-made EV instead of his own company’s models. He said it was significant in light of Ford’s significant federal funding to boost domestic production.

“At a time when Ford is receiving billions of dollars in subsidies from American taxpayers to support domestic EV production, it is deeply troubling that the company’s chief executive would choose a Chinese product over an American vehicle his own company manufactures,” Isaac said.

In response, Ford’s public relations team defended Farley’s decision. Officials said he regularly tests vehicles from competing brands as part of his role to better understand the EV market.

Farley took to social media to reiterate that he’s driven competitor models his “whole career” for this reason. Ford said its CEO’s primary personal vehicle remains the company’s own F-150 Lightning.

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[Jack]

FORD SAYS ITS EVS ARE PROUDLY AMERICAN-MADE.

AS THE AUTOMAKER’S CEO NOW FACES BACKLASH FOR OWNING A CHINESE-MADE ELECTRIC MODEL….AND OPENLY PRAISING IT.

WHILE SPEAKING ON THE FULLY CHARGED PODCAST, FORD’S JIM FARLEY DISCUSSED HIS COMPANY’S COMPETITORS IN THE EV SPACE-

SAYING HE’S SPENT MONTHS DRIVING A CAR FROM THE CHINESE ELECTRIC VEHICLE BRAND XIAOMI.

“I don’t like talking about the competition so much, but I drive the Xiaomi. We flew one from Shanghai to Chicago, and I’ve been driving it for six months now and I don’t want to give it up.”

BACK IN 20-21, XIAOMI WAS BLACKLISTED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING A CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY MILITARY COMPANY.

HOWEVER, THAT DESIGNATION WAS LATER REVERSED BY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AFTER XIAOMI CHALLENGED IT IN COURT.

THE CEO OF THE AMERICAN ENERGY INSTITUTE HAS CALLED FARLEY’S DECISION TO DRIVE A CHINESE-MADE EV A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE HARDWORKING EMPLOYEES AT HIS COMPANY.

QUESTIONING WHY FORD IS RECEIVING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SUBSIDIES FROM U.S. TAXPAYERS TO SUPPORT DOMESTIC EV PRODUCTION-

ALL WHILE THEIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE CHOOSES A CHINESE PRODUCT OVER HIS AMERICAN BRAND’S OWN CARS.

FORD’S PR TEAM HAS SINCE DEFENDED FARLEY-

SAYING HE REGULARLY DRIVES VEHICLES FROM ALL OF THE AUTOMAKER’S COMPETITORS TO GET A BETTER SENSE OF THEIR OFFERINGS.

CALLING IT A NORMAL AND ESSENTIAL BUSINESS PRACTICE THAT FARLEY HIMSELF CONFIRMED IN A POST ON X-

CLAIMING HE’S BEEN DOING IT HIS WHOLE CAREER.

MEANWHILE, FORD SAYS THAT FARLEY’S DAILY PERSONAL VEHICLE CONTINUES TO BE THE COMPANY’S F-150 LIGHTING.

TO GET MORE STORIES ABOUT THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE INDUSTRY, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME – JACK AYLMER.