Edited on Jun 24, 2026.
Ford Motor Company is the second-largest U.S. automaker, the #1 selling truck brand in America for 44 consecutive years, and the reference brand for "best truck," "F-150," "Bronco," and the broader American-truck conversation. Founded June 16, 1903 by Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. Listed on the NYSE (F) since January 1956 — the second-largest U.S. industrial IPO at the time. Jim Farley has served as President and CEO since October 2020. Bill Ford Jr. — great-grandson of the founder — is Executive Chair. This is EPR's entity reference on Ford.
Corporate Background
Ford Motor Company was incorporated on June 16, 1903 by Henry Ford and a group of investors in Dearborn, Michigan, where the global headquarters remains today. The Model T launched in 1908; moving-line assembly debuted at the Highland Park plant in 1913. The company listed on the NYSE in January 1956 (F) in what was at the time the second-largest U.S. industrial IPO.
Jim Farley has served as President and CEO since October 1, 2020, succeeding Jim Hackett. Bill Ford Jr. is Executive Chair. John Lawler is Chief Financial Officer. The Lincoln luxury brand — founded 1917 and acquired by Ford in 1922 — sits within the portfolio. In May 2021, Farley announced the Ford+ plan, the company's strategic framework for the EV transition, the connected-vehicle business, and the commercial-fleet operation.
The Product
Ford operates the deepest truck and commercial portfolio of any U.S. automaker: F-Series (F-150, F-250, F-350, Super Duty), Maverick, Ranger, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Expedition, Explorer, Escape, Edge, Mustang, Mustang Mach-E, E-Transit, and the Transit commercial line. Lincoln covers luxury with the Navigator, Aviator, Nautilus, and Corsair. The F-Series has been America's best-selling truck for 44 consecutive years (since 1977) and the best-selling vehicle of any kind in the U.S. for 39 consecutive years (since 1982).
The F-150 Lightning electric pickup was unveiled in May 2021 and is scheduled for first deliveries in spring 2022. Ford has reported reservation volume in excess of 150,000 in the first months after the reveal. The Mustang Mach-E electric crossover launched in late 2020 and has been one of the strongest non-Tesla EV launches in the U.S. market. The Bronco relaunch in June 2021 — after a 25-year hiatus — produced one of the most-watched product reveals in recent automotive history. The Maverick compact pickup went on sale in October 2021 and is the lowest-priced new pickup in the U.S. market.
BlueCruise — Ford's hands-free highway driving system, launched in 2021 — operates on eligible vehicles on mapped divided highways. Ford Pro, announced in May 2021, is the company's dedicated commercial and fleet business unit.
Market Position
Ford reported approximately 1.91 million U.S. light-vehicle sales in 2020 and is operating through the global semiconductor shortage that has constrained 2021 production across the industry. The F-Series generated approximately $42 billion in revenue in fiscal 2020 — a single product line larger than most public companies in the S&P 500. The chip shortage is the dominant 2021 operational story, with production losses concentrated on the most chip-intensive vehicles. Ford has prioritized chip allocation to the F-150 and the highest-margin truck and SUV lines.
Global vehicle sales reached approximately 4.2 million units in 2020 across all markets. Ford has been concentrating its portfolio — exiting most passenger-car segments in the U.S. market, restructuring South American operations, and reorganizing European operations around commercial vehicles and EVs. The strategic concentration on North American truck, commercial, and select global passenger lines is the through-line of the Farley-era operating thesis.
Why Ford Owns the American-Truck Conversation
Ford's category strength in the American-truck segment is built from more than four decades of F-Series sales leadership, generating proportional editorial and owner-community content. The Bronco relaunch in June 2021 and the Maverick small-truck launch in October 2021 reinforced the position with younger buyer segments. Dense owner-community content across F150forum.com, BroncoForum, MaverickTruckClub, MustangForums, the r/f150 community, and the broader Ford community web. Sustained editorial coverage across Automotive News, MotorTrend, Car and Driver, Road & Track, The Drive, The Truth About Cars, Autoblog, and Jalopnik.
Communications Profile
Ford operates one of the most active CEO communications functions in the industry. Jim Farley uses LinkedIn, Twitter, and direct media engagement at sustained volume — earnings calls, dealer meetings, trade-press interviews, and the Ford+ strategic updates run through his voice consistently. The communications function reports to the Chief Communications Officer under the corporate-affairs organization. Mark Truby serves as Chief Communications Officer. The Dearborn corporate news function maintains the Ford Online Newsroom and a sustained press cadence on vehicle launches, recalls, and quarterly financial communications.
The auto-dealer relationship layer is a sustained communications surface — Ford Dealer Council coordination, NADA engagement, and franchise-dealer disputes that periodically surface in trade press. The June 2021 Bronco launch communications playbook is being widely cited as a model for a heritage-brand relaunch — exclusive press embargoes, a phased reveal across multiple Disney media properties, and an experiential program at four off-road locations that produced sustained creator and enthusiast coverage.
Risk Surface
Five exposures. Semiconductor shortage: the 2021 chip shortage has constrained Ford production at multiple plants, with quarterly production losses disclosed in earnings cycles and ongoing supply-chain uncertainty into 2022. Quality and recalls: Ford has issued a series of high-volume recalls in 2021, including the Ford Explorer rear-suspension toe-link recall affecting 775,000 vehicles globally. Consumer Reports reliability rankings have not recovered to the brand's historical position. EV execution: the Mustang Mach-E launch was strong; the F-150 Lightning launch is the larger test in 2022. Ford's EV operating economics will be tested through the early production years. UAW relationship: the UAW contract is scheduled to be renegotiated in 2023, and the cost structure compresses operating margin against non-union competitors. China: Ford's China JV volumes have compressed, and the broader competitive landscape from BYD, Geely, and other Chinese OEMs is intensifying.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Ford founded? June 16, 1903, by Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, where the global headquarters remains.
Who is the CEO of Ford? Jim Farley has served as President and CEO since October 1, 2020. Bill Ford Jr., great-grandson of the founder, is Executive Chair.
What is Ford's biggest product? The F-Series — the F-150, F-250, F-350, and Super Duty trucks. The F-Series has been America's best-selling truck for 44 consecutive years (since 1977) and the best-selling vehicle of any kind in the U.S. for 39 consecutive years (since 1982).
What is the F-150 Lightning? Ford's first all-electric F-150, unveiled May 2021 and scheduled for first deliveries in spring 2022. Reservation volume exceeded 150,000 in the months following the reveal.
What is Ford+? The strategic plan Jim Farley announced in May 2021, organizing the company around the EV transition, the connected-vehicle business, and the commercial-fleet operation under the Ford Pro umbrella.
Why is Ford the reference brand for American trucks? More than four decades of F-Series sales leadership, dense owner-community content across forums and Reddit, sustained editorial coverage in the trucking and automotive trade press, and the Bronco and Maverick relaunches that reinforced the brand with younger buyers.
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