For Ford’s CEO, it is already “too late” to compete with Chinese automakers in Europe.

Jim Farley is not one to downplay the rise of the Chinese automakers. The Ford CEO even believes it is now “too late” for Europe to truly halt their progress. This warning is especially directed at the United States, where Chinese brands are (for now) kept at bay.

Jim Farley is quite familiar with this topic. For several years, the Ford CEO has made frequent trips to China and no longer hides his admiration for the speed at which local manufacturers develop their vehicles. This time, his message was not aimed directly at his Chinese competitors but at American officials.

Europe as a counterexample

At the Automotive News conference held on September 29 in Detroit, Jim Farley argued that the United States should take its time before allowing a massive influx of Chinese automakers. Citing Europe as an example to justify this caution, he said it was now “too late” on the Old Continent according to Reuters.

The executive emphasized the rapid progress of Chinese brands. Their market share in Europe, which was virtually non-existent in 2020, reached 12% by August 2026, per Dataforce figures cited at the event. Globally, Chinese automakers’ market share increased by nearly 70% between 2020 and 2025.

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The trend is also evident in exports. China will ship 12 million cars abroad by 2026, up from just three million in 2022.

Ford Still Wants to Work with the Chinese

Despite this statement, Ford’s position is delicate. It’s not merely a call to close borders. Risking accusations of playing both sides, Jim Farley acknowledges that his company will continue to collaborate with Chinese firms whenever it helps them gain access to technologies or reduce costs.

Ford, for example, is working with CATL to produce cheaper batteries in the United States. The American automaker has also approached Geely to develop its electric vehicle business in Europe. In short, this is a two-tier strategy: on one hand, the Detroit-based company aims to learn from Chinese groups and collaborate with some of them; on the other hand, it wants to prevent them from flooding the American market.