Ford, at its weakest financial level since 2008: Losses of $8.2 billion in 2025

Ford: Strategic Reorientation after $8.2 Billion Financial Shock in 2025

The year 2025 will go down in Ford history as one of the “great adjustments.” The American giant reported a net loss of $8.2 billion, a figure that reflects the immense cost of the transition from all-electric enthusiasm to a more pragmatic hybrid reality. Although total revenue reached $187.3 billion, the last quarter of the year marked the company’s weakest financial performance since 2008, with a quarterly net loss of $11.1 billion.

Why did Ford lose so much money?

The massive loss is not the result of a single factor, but of a "perfect storm" that hit the Dearborn-based manufacturer:

• Model e Division Restructuring: Ford decided to cancel or delay the launch of large electric models (including a three-row SUV) and redirect capital. This change of direction generated huge restructuring costs, estimated at more than $12 billion in the fourth quarter alone.
• External Factors and Taxes: The implementation of new tariffs by the US administration and changes to tax credits for auto parts added unforeseen costs of almost $2 billion.
• Supply Issues: A fire at the factory of aluminum supplier Novelis severely disrupted the production chain, bringing additional operational losses.

Trend for 2026: Pragmatism and Hybrid Dominance

If 2025 was the year of financial "cleanliness", 2026 is shaping up to be the year of recovery, guided by a much more nuanced strategy. Here are the pillars that will define Ford's path this year:

1. “Hybrid First” – The New Sales Star

Ford has understood that the public is not yet ready to completely abandon internal combustion engines. In 2026, the focus is on hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Models like the Maverick Hybrid or hybrid versions of the Explorer will become the core of profitability. It is estimated that the hybrid sales mix will continue to grow by more than 20% annually, providing a “safety net” while the pure electric market stabilizes.

2. Launch of the Universal Digital Platform

In 2026, Ford will introduce a new electric vehicle platform, but with a different approach: cost efficiency. The first models on this architecture will be commercial vehicles (like the new electric van produced in Ohio) and affordable midsize pickups, designed to compete with the prices of Chinese manufacturers.

3. Software as a Source of Income

Through its Ford Pro division, the company is betting heavily on fleet software subscriptions. With more than 800,000 subscribers already registered, Ford hopes that digital services (consumption monitoring, predictive maintenance and assistance systems such as BlueCruise) will generate high profit margins, offsetting hardware investments.

4. Impact in Romania: Ford Puma Gen-E

For the Craiova plant, 2026 will be a key year. The updated version of the Puma Gen-E model will play a crucial role in maintaining market share in Europe, offering improved autonomy and semi-autonomous driving technologies in a very competitive segment.

Ford on the Romanian market

While globally Ford reported accounting losses caused by restructuring, on the Romanian market, 2025 was one of positive records and the dominance of the electrified segment.

Unlike its parent market in the US, Ford Romania managed to transform the "year of transition" into a victory in image and sales, consolidating its position as a key player.

Ford in the Top Sales in Romania (2025)

According to official data (ACAROM and DRPCIV), Ford remained firmly in the elite of automakers:

• Ranking: Ford ranked 7th in the top of the best-selling new car brands in Romania, with a total of 7,345 registered units.
• Top 10 Brands 2025: 1. Dacia, 2. Toyota, 3. Renault, 4. Skoda, 5. Volkswagen, 6. Hyundai, 7. Ford, 8. Mercedes-Benz, 9. BMW, 10. Suzuki.

Leader in the Electric Market (EV)

The biggest journalistic surprise of the year was the dethronement of traditional leaders in the electric segment. Ford became the leader of the electric vehicle market in Romania in 2025, reporting a spectacular growth of 360% compared to the previous year.

• Record volume: Ford sold 2,132 electric vehicles (cars and vans), achieving a 15% market share in this segment.
• Successful models: The new Explorer and Capri dominated their segments, while the Puma Gen-E (produced in Craiova) quickly became one of the most popular battery-powered models immediately after launch.

Craiova Performance: Hybrid & Electric Hub

The Ford Otosan Craiova plant was the "engine" of this resilience. Although national production decreased slightly (by approximately 2.6%), the Oltenia plant assembled 248,328 units in 2025.

    "2025 was the year Puma Gen-E put Romania on the map of mass production for electric cars, partially offsetting the declines in demand for internal combustion engines in the rest of Europe."

Hybrid Champion: Ford Kuga

Ford has not neglected hybrid pragmatism either. The Ford Kuga Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) model retained its crown for the fifth consecutive year, being the best-selling PHEV model in Romania in 2025, with over 650 units delivered.

The 2025 Verdict: Between Lost Billions and the Pragmatism of Survival

The year 2025 will remain in Ford's archives as the moment when the "electric dream" collided head-on with economic reality, forcing the American giant to execute a sudden but necessary recovery maneuver. Although the $8.2 billion figure shown in the negative seems detached from a crisis scenario, it actually represents the cost of a strategic cleanup: Ford preferred to accept a massive loss now, by restructuring the Model e division, rather than continue an unprofitable investment in the long term.

The contrast is striking when we look at Romania. While losses were being counted globally, on the local market Ford has demonstrated that the strategy works when the product meets the consumer's need. The success of the Puma Gen-E model and the leading position in the electric market in Romania show that the public is willing to make the transition, provided that the cars are accessible and adapted to the current infrastructure.

Looking to 2026, the watchword is no longer “full electrification” but “agility.” By pivoting to hybrid models and optimizing costs in Craiova and the rest of its production centers, Ford is trying to turn the painful restructuring of 2025 into a solid foundation. It remains to be seen whether this “recipe of realism” will be enough to return the Blue Oval to the targeted operating profit, but one thing is certain: Ford has learned that, in the automotive industry of the future, it is not the bravest who wins, but the most adaptable.