Ford CEO dismisses Tesla Cybertruck: ‘I make trucks for real people who do real work’

Ford CEO Jim Farley dismissed Tesla Cybertruck as “a cool high-end product parked in front of a hotel” rather than “a truck for real people.”

Will he eat his words?

During an interview with CNBC, Farley appeared to want to distance Ford from Tesla a bit after his company agreed to adopt Tesla’s NACS connector.

He described the move as an “opportunistic” one to increase access to charging for Ford customers, but he claimed that Ford’s charging network was already extensive before that.

The CEO was asked about the imminent launch of the Tesla Cybertruck and he seemed unimpressed.

Farley said about the Cybertruck:

“The reality is, America loves an underdog — and we are the market leader for EV trucks and vans, and we know those customers better than anyone. And if [Elon Musk] wants to design a Cybertruck for Silicon Valley people, fine. It’s like a cool high-end product parked in front of a hotel. But I don’t make trucks like that. I make trucks for real people who do real work, and that’s a different kind of truck.”

Those are harsh words for Tesla’s first offering in the important and highly profitable pickup market in the US.

Tesla is expected to launch the Cybertruck toward the end of September and ramp up production in 2024.

It will compete against Ford’s best-selling F-150, including the all-electric F-150 Lightning.

To me, it feels like Farley feels the need to “big dog” Tesla a bit after the NACS deal, which some saw as Ford submitting to Tesla.

For example, he highlighted that Ford already had “an extensive charging network” before the deal, but he didn’t highlight the fact that, for long-distance travel, Ford’s network relied on third-party networks, which are known to be less extensive and reliable than Tesla’s.

Furthermore, the adoption of Tesla’s NACS is about more than access to the Supercharger network for Ford because it wouldn’t need to make NACS the standard connector on its vehicles for that. It could just use the adapter.

It’s also about a smaller and more efficient design.

Now as for the Cybertruck, I think competitors like Ford need to be careful about not getting confused by the polarizing design. It gathered 1.5 million reservations not because of its design but because of the specs and pricing that Tesla first released.

To be fair, those specs and pricing need to be updated for the production version, but if it’s anything close to what was first announced, it will be a success. On top of it, even though Ford beat Tesla to market with an electric pickup truck, Tesla could beat Ford in volume with its experience ramping up EV programs.

I think companies like Ford, which heavily financially relies on its pickup trucks, need to take the Cybertruck seriously.

Ford CEO Jim Farley spoke a few rather harsh words about the Tesla Cybertruck and said “If he (Elon) wants to design a Cybertruck for Silicon Valley people, fine; It’s like a cool high-end product parked in front of a hotel; I make trucks for real people who do real work.” I mean I wouldn’t speak like about the Cybertruck.

Look, the truck hasn’t even been proven yet. From my knowledge of stainless steel and how heavy that machine is, it will outdo all 4x4s on the road today It will outdo all pickup trucks that are electric in distance.

During an interview with CNBC, Ford CEO Jim Farley addressed the upcoming launch of the Tesla Cybertruck, dismissing it as a high-end product targeted at Silicon Valley rather than a truck for real working people.

Farley’s comments came in the wake of Ford’s recent agreement to adopt Tesla’s NACS connector for increased charging access, a move he described as opportunistic. Twitter users under Saywer Merritt’s tweet expressed their extreme unhappiness about what Ford CEO said on Cybertruck.

For example, Dave Rand says “Well, can your truck be rolled down a hill, land on its tires, and be able to drive away? The stainless steel, triangular construction of the cyber truck makes it virtually indestructible. The traction control is software-driven, and state-of-the-art for electric vehicles.

Cybertruck will be the first Tesla vehicle to have Starlink built in. This gives real-time feedback to the environment which can be communicated to other cyber trucks. Hands-free global communication can be available anywhere on Earth.

And later even Mars and beyond. Can any of your vehicles do that? Let’s face it, Henry Ford died a long time ago, and everyone else that came after him was less innovative and capable,” he said.

While acknowledging America’s affinity for underdog stories, Farley emphasized that Ford is the market leader for EV trucks and vans, and they possess a deep understanding of their customers’ needs.

He stated that if Elon Musk wants to design a Cybertruck for Silicon Valley, it’s his prerogative, but Ford focuses on creating trucks for real people who engage in substantial work, emphasizing the distinction between their offerings and Tesla’s approach.

Farley’s remarks indicate a strong stance by Ford, underscoring their confidence in their best-selling F-150 lineup, which includes the all-electric F-150 Lightning set to compete with the Cybertruck.

With Tesla expected to launch the Cybertruck later this year and increase production in 2024, the rivalry between the two automakers in the lucrative pickup market is intensifying. Only time will tell how this competition plays out and if Farley’s words will stand the test of time.

I have respect for Jim Farley, but here is what I say. It will be interesting to see what the real people that do real work want when they have the option to choose between Cybertruck and F150.

Ford CEO dismisses Tesla Cybertruck: ‘I make trucks for real people who do real work’

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