Ford hopes to turn its California Electric Vehicle Development Center into a talent center
Ford plans to transform its development center in Long Beach, California into a talent hub, which will be responsible for developing the next generation electric vehicle platform. Ford aims to introduce lower-priced electric vehicle products to attract consumers. It is expected that this 250,000 square foot development center will be operational early next year, with approximately 450 employees. Ford's first affordable electric vehicle is expected to be launched by the end of 2026. The team moving into the Long Beach center is led by CEO Jim Farley, with the goal of making products using this platform profitable in the first year of launch. This team closely collaborates with Ford's Greenfield Lab in Palo Alto, California, and the Ford Product Development Center in Dearborn, Michigan
According to reports, Ford plans to relocate a small team responsible for developing the next generation electric vehicle platform to a new development center in Long Beach, California. The company's current goal is to launch lower-priced electric vehicle products to attract consumers.
A Ford spokesperson stated that the company expects to open this 250,000 square foot development center early next year. The spokesperson declined to disclose the specific investment amount but mentioned that the center will accommodate approximately 450 employees and will include office space, engineering labs, and design studios.
Doug Field, Ford's head of electric vehicles, digital, and design, mentioned at an event on June 26th, "This location is very, very important for attracting the right talent. It will be a talent center, especially for talent from technology and electric vehicle startups. This will be an outpost where we can combine the experience from Dearborn with Ford's existing areas."
The team moving into the Long Beach center was formed by Ford CEO Jim Farley two years ago with the goal of creating a small, affordable electric vehicle platform and ensuring that products using this platform can be profitable in their first year on the market. Ford's first such vehicle will be a crossover vehicle expected to debut by the end of 2026.
The team, based in California, is led by Ford's Senior Director of Electric Vehicle Development, Alan Clarke, who previously worked at Tesla and joined Ford in 2022. Clarke stated that the move to California is a significant step as there are many talented engineers and designers in the area.
Employees at the Long Beach development center will closely collaborate with Ford's Greenfield Labs in Palo Alto, California, and the team at Ford's product development center in Dearborn, Michigan
