Ford EV Chief Doug Field Exits as Automaker Reorganizes After $4.7 Billion Loss

Ford Motor Company's top executive for electric vehicles and technology, Doug Field, is leaving the automaker after five years, as part of a major reorganization announced this week. Field, who joined Ford in 2021 with high-profile experience from Apple and Tesla, helmed the company's ambitious push into EVs and software-defined vehicles. According to reports from TechCrunch and The Verge, his departure comes next month amid ongoing challenges in Ford's EV division, which reported a $4.7 billion loss in 2024 alone.

Field's tenure was seen as a pivotal hire to bring Silicon Valley expertise to the legacy automaker. At Tesla, he served as senior vice president of engineering, overseeing the Model 3 program, while at Apple he led the secretive special projects team before jumping to Ford. The move was hailed as a "watershed moment" by some observers, aimed at accelerating CEO Jim Farley's vision to transform Ford into a leader in EVs, software, and digital services, as noted in Bloomberg coverage.

The exit signals deeper shifts at Ford, where slowing EV demand, unstable incentives, and regulatory changes have forced tough decisions. The company recently paused several next-generation EV projects, including a new electrical architecture meant to power future vehicles, leading to a staggering $19.5 billion write-down in December. As reported by Finimize and TechBuzz, Ford is now prioritizing lower-cost models, such as a $30,000 electric pickup truck slated for launch next year, to make EVs more accessible amid fierce competition from rivals like Tesla.

Under the reorganization, Field's EV, digital, and design team will fold into a new "product creation and industrialization" unit led by Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra. An ex-Tesla engineer, Alan Clarke, who currently heads Ford's California skunkworks lab, is poised for promotion to help steer this effort, according to The Verge. Ford has set aggressive targets for the revamped group, including an 8% adjusted profit margin for its Ford+ commercial business by 2029.

This leadership change affects investors, employees, and consumers navigating the bumpy transition from gas-powered cars. Ford's EV losses highlight the broader struggles of traditional automakers racing to catch up in electrification, where high development costs and market softening have prompted strategic resets across the industry. While Ford has not disclosed Field's reasons for leaving or his next plans, such high-level departures often reflect evolving priorities in a high-stakes sector.

Looking ahead, the success of Galhotra's team and affordable EV launches will be critical for Ford's competitiveness. The company must balance cost-cutting with innovation to stem losses and regain momentum, especially as EV adoption faces economic headwinds. Stakeholders will watch closely for signs of progress in the coming quarters.