Ford Takes $19.5 Billion EV Hit. Is the EV Revolution Over

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🗓️ 17 December 2025

⏱️ 20 minutes

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Summary

Electric vehicles were supposed to disrupt the auto industry, but sales are down, subsidies are going away, and Ford is pivoting away from EVs and taking $19.5 billion in charges to shift to hybrids. What strategy is the right one long-term? Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman, and Rachel Warren discuss: - Ford’s $19.5 billion EV writedown - Does Detriot have the right strategy? - What’s next for Rivian and Tesla Companies discussed: Ford (F), Rivian (RIVN), Tesla (TSLA), General Motors (GM), Lucid (LCID). Host: Travis Hoium Guests: Lou Whiteman, Rachel Warren Engineer: Dan Boyd Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement. We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Has the EV Revolution ended before it even really got started?
0:09.0	Motley Full Money starts now.
0:11.0	Welcome to Motley Full Money. I'm Travis Hoym, I'm Travis Hoym, joined by Lou Whiteman and Rachel Warren.
0:25.9	As a big topic this week as electric vehicles, and Ford is really the one that is the impetus for this conversation, even though you don't necessarily think about them as an EV company.
0:34.5	But they are getting more or less getting out of the EV game, taking a $19.5 billion
0:41.0	write off.
0:42.6	Look, Lou, EVs were the future of the auto industry just a few years ago.
0:46.2	Every single company said that they were going to basically go 100% to EVs.
0:50.0	You have Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, and others were thought to be disrupting.
0:54.1	Detroit, it's only been four years since a lot of those bets were made. You have Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, and others were thought to be disrupting Detroit.
0:55.5	It's only been four years since a lot of those bets were made.
0:58.3	And now we're really backing off.
0:59.9	Tesla's sales are in decline.
1:02.2	GM has pulled back.
1:03.3	Now Ford is doing the same.
1:06.3	Were EVs overhyped or what changed in the last few years?
1:09.5	Because this seems like a huge about face?
1:12.0	Yeah, what changed? Four years and one administration, shall we say, right? But look, I am
1:16.7	hesitant to say it was overhyped, but I do think we definitely got ahead of ourselves. I still
1:22.4	believe EVs are the future. I believe that that is where we're going. But I think the timeline was probably
1:28.5	likely always going to be longer than we had hoped, and honestly, that we priced in. And
1:34.2	there was a new administration, and some of the incentives did change, which I think is kind of
	...

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