April 16, 2026 - Doug Field Leaves and Ford Reorganizes

This is the Telemetry Transportation Daily for April 16, 2026, and I'm Sam Abuelsamid, Vice President of Market Research for Telemetry. 

Ford is reorganizing again, and Doug Field, chief EV, digital, and design officer, is leaving, nearly five years after rejoining the company. Ford is creating a new product creation and industrialization organization that will incorporate much of what was previously Field's organization, including the electric vehicle, digital, and design efforts with Ford's global industrial system. The new organization will be led by chief operating officer Kumar Golhatra. 

The most noteworthy outcome of Field's tenure was the creation of the so-called Skunkworks EV program in Long Beach, California, that has been developing the new Universal EV Platform. The leader of that team, Alan Clarke, has been promoted to vice president, advanced development projects and will continue to lead the advanced EV development team. The first product of that effort is the $30,000 midsize electric truck that is due to start production late this year and go on sale in 2027. Other efforts started under Field's time, such as the three-row electric SUV, new software and electronics, and several other planned EVs, have all been scrapped. It's too early to tell if the UEV program will fare better. 

The new end-to-end organization will focus on bringing the efforts of the advanced EV team across the product lineup, with Ford planning to offer electrification, including hybrids and extended range EVs, on 90% of its vehicles by 2030, as well as the new electronics and software. 

With most of what had been part of the Ford Model E business unit now integrated into the product creation organization, it's unclear if Ford will continue to maintain Model E or fold it back into what is now known as Ford Blue. 

Thanks for listening.