Ford's Secretive Electric Vehicle Team Expands with Talent from Rivian, Tesla, and Apple

Recent developments in the electric vehicle (EV) market have been chaotic, and Ford has capitalized on this chaos by building out its secretive low-cost EV team. According to a review of LinkedIn data by TechCrunch, Ford has grown this team to around 300 employees over the last year.

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Hiring from Rival Companies

The team’s growth is evident in the number of new hires from rival companies. Approximately 50 employees have joined from Rivian, more than 20 from Tesla, and a dozen from cash-strapped Canoo. Ford has also hired around 10 employees from Lucid Motors and a handful from Apple’s recently disbanded EV team known as Project Titan.

Senior Aerodynamicists Join the Team

Ford has also brought on board two senior aerodynamicists who previously worked for Formula 1 teams to work on the project. This move suggests that Ford is taking an aggressive approach to reducing the cost of EVs and making them more competitive in the market.

Growth of the Team Prior to the Acquisition

Ford’s low-cost EV team was already growing before the acquisition of Auto Motive Power (AMP) in late 2023. The main hub of the team is located in Irvine, California, which also serves as Rivian’s headquarters. In the second half of 2023, Ford hired around a dozen former Rivian employees, many of whom were engineers.

Hiring Accelerates in 2024

The hiring process accelerated at the beginning of 2024, with Ford bringing on board a senior mechanical design engineer who worked on Tesla’s ‘gigacasting’ team. This effort involves creating the underbody of a vehicle in just a few large pieces as opposed to welding or riveting together many more.

Rivian Layoffs Offer Opportunity for Ford

The recent decision by Rivian to lay off 10% of its workforce appears to have offered Ford an opportunity to snap up talent. The Advanced EV team hired another dozen engineers in the following months, taking advantage of the available talent.

Palo Alto Presence Grows

Ford has also built out the team’s presence in Palo Alto. The company brought on electrical engineers and program managers from AV operator Nuro (which restructured in 2023), Lucid Motors (which slashed 1,300 jobs last year) and eVTOL startup Joby.

Multiple Project Titan Engineers Join

In May and June 2024, Ford added multiple Project Titan engineers to the Palo Alto office. This move suggests that Ford is committed to building a strong team with diverse skills and experience.

Few Hires from Outside the EV World

Very few of the new hires brought onto the project over the last year or so come from outside the world of electric cars. Those who did tended to come from eVTOL startups like Joby, Archer, and Supernal.

Company Response

When asked about the growth of its low-cost EV team, Ford declined to comment on specific numbers but acknowledged that it is committed to making EVs more affordable for consumers.

Implications for the Industry

The expansion of Ford’s low-cost EV team has significant implications for the industry. With a growing team and a focus on reducing costs, Ford is well-positioned to compete in the rapidly evolving EV market. The company’s commitment to building a strong team with diverse skills and experience will likely pay off in the long run.

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Ford’s Secretive Electric Vehicle Team Expands with Talent from Rivian, Tesla, and Apple