Ford Shakes Up Electric Vehicle and Software Leadership Amid Writedown

Doug Field, the chief executive of Ford’s electric vehicle and software efforts, is leaving the company next month, in a shake-up that comes just five months after the automaker took a $19.5 billion writedown on its investment in electric vehicles. Field, who departed Apple in 2018 to join Ford, will be succeeded by Alan Clarke, a former Tesla engineer who now leads Ford’s California-based innovation lab known as skunkworks. Clarke will assume the role of vice president of advanced development projects and continue to oversee the development of Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) Platform. The move marks a significant shift in Ford’s electric vehicle strategy, which has been marked by recent challenges including the discontinuation of several electric models, including the F-150 Lightning pickup truck. The writedown on Ford’s EV investment was seen as a sign of the company’s struggles to compete with more established players in the rapidly growing market. Clarke’s appointment has raised questions about how Ford will navigate its electric vehicle ambitions and whether the new leader can help turn around the company’s fortunes.