Tesla and Apple veteran Doug Field, who took over Fords Electric Vehicle (EV) program, is leaving the company in May after nearly five years in the role.
The American automaker announced on Wednesday that Mr. Field will leave his role as chief EV, digital and design officer, which he started in 2021.
“Doug has been an invaluable partner to me as CEO and has helped Ford find its place in this new era of electric power and software-defined vehicles,” Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO, said in a statement.
“Not only did he assemble a brilliant team across industries, he strengthened our culture by teaching first principles thinking and instilling the discipline to challenge limitations and eliminate complexity. His influence will be felt for many years to come.”
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Mr. Field is leaving the company as Ford overhauls its electric vehicle strategy after suffering billions in EV losses over the last decade.
The company formed “Team Edison” in 2017 to promote the move away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, and launched its Model E division in 2022 after Mr Field – a software engineer – was poached the previous year by Apple, where he played a key role in developing software for the Mac.
Mr Farley described the appointment of Mr Field – who previously worked at the brand between 1987 and 1993 – as a “turning point” for the car maker.
“Two things came through loud and clear,” Mr. Field told the Massachusetts Institute of Technology about his decision to rejoin Ford WITHMechE Alumni magazine.
“One was humility. ‘Our success is not guaranteed,'” he said, marking a change from his previous time at Ford. “The other thing was urgency. Jim and Bill Ford said the exact same thing to me: ‘We have four or five years to completely revamp this company.'”
“I said, ‘Okay, if senior management really believes that, then the automotive industry might be ready for what I’m hoping to offer.'”
He has now said he wants to share his experiences being “at the heart of disruption and innovation” at Apple, Tesla and Ford, saying in a statement that he was honored to have been a part of Ford’s leadership “during an unprecedented time of technology and market disruption.”
“I believe Ford now has a winning technology strategy and plan. The Universal EV platform’s first breakthrough product – a midsize pickup truck – is on the way to production,” Mr. Field said in a statement.
“We have clearly defined hardware, software and electrification plans across our entire product line. The initial quality of our core technologies is now at the forefront of the industry.”
“Most importantly, we have incredibly talented teams in these disciplines who are ready to lead Ford into the future. I have every confidence in them and look forward to seeing their work in the years to come.”
In 2025, Ford posted a loss of about US$8.2 billion (AUD$11.41 billion), its largest full-year loss since the 2008 global financial crisis and its third loss in the previous six years.
While tariffs played a significant role, more than half of that loss was attributed to the Model E division (down $4.8 billion or A$6.68 billion) as hybrid sales increased in the US and elsewhere, including Australia.
Last year, Ford announced both the discontinuation of the electric Ford F-150 Lightning – to be replaced by a range-extender version – and the launch of a new “Universal Electric Vehicle” platform designed to support a range of “affordable” electric vehicles starting in 2027.
Last year, Ford discontinued the Escape SUV, its cheapest model and rival to the Toyota RAV4, in the US as the average price of a new car in that market rose to US$50,000 (A$69,498).
Mr. Farley said he regretted the way the automaker implemented its previous electric vehicle plan.
“I would have done it completely differently. I mean, we didn’t know what we didn’t know,” the Ford CEO said Car &driver when asked whether the F-150 Lightning electric pickup program was carried out properly.
Mr. Field’s departure comes as Ford announced a new “end-to-end” organization that integrates its EV, digital and design teams into its “global industrial system.”
The new organization will be led by Kumar Galhotra, Ford’s chief operating officer, who said in a statement: “This creates an end-to-end team with responsibility for the entire product development process.”
Ford said 70 percent of its global model range will be renewed by 2030.
By 2030, Ford will also offer 90 percent of its global models as hybrids, electric vehicles or extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs).
The US car giant still expects to lose up to US$4.5 billion (A$6.28 billion) on electric vehicles in 2026, despite a recent surge in sales driven by record fuel prices.
Mr Farley has previously said that the removal of electric vehicle tax incentives in the US from October 1, 2025 could lead to a collapse in electric vehicle sales in North America.
While U.S. new electric vehicle sales are down 24.7 percent year-to-date, March 2026 numbers increased 20.3 percent year-over-year.
The upward trend is expected to continue as the price of gasoline rises from an already high $4 per gallon to as high as $8 per gallon in parts of the US.
Record prices in Australia too have prompted Ford to offer a $4,000 fuel card with some Ranger purchases here.
The Australian Government has signaled its intention to maintain the current Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption for electric vehicles following a review in April 2026, a decision made easier by high fuel prices and the resulting increase in electric vehicle sales.
Ford Australia’s electric vehicle sales were slow, led by the E-Transit Custom and E-Transit commercial vehicles.
Its only current non-van electric vehicle, the Mustang Mach-E SUV, recorded 89 sales between January and March, down 43.3 percent year-on-year.
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