Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn is the top automaker in America in terms of production and vehicle sales of U.S. made cars, trucks, and SUVs, and employment of hourly autoworkers for the third consecutive year.
More than 82 percent of Ford vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2020 were assembled in the U.S. — up from 75 percent in 2019 and more vehicles than any other automaker, even factoring in industry and production disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ford also led U.S. light vehicle production and sales in 2018 and 2019, according to IHS Markit light vehicle production and sales data.
Ford assembled 1.7 million vehicles in the U.S. in 2020, 188,000 more than any other automaker, during a year that included the model year changeover of the best-selling Ford F-150 pickup.
Other facts related for Ford’s 2020 production include:
Ford exported more than 280,000 U.S.-assembled vehicles to markets outside of the U.S., more than any other auto manufacturer.
- One in every six vehicles Ford assembles in the U.S. is exported.
- Ford is the largest employer of UAW-represented autoworkers.
- More than 82 percent of the vehicles that Ford sells in the U.S. are assembled in the U.S., more than any other full-line automaker.
“The numbers confirm Ford’s leadership and commitment to American manufacturing and the U.S. economy,” says Kumar Galhotra, president of the Americas and International Markets Group at Ford. “Not only is the auto industry the backbone of the U.S. economy, Ford is vital to it. We are a proud supporter of American manufacturing — and we do back it up year after year, investing in our workforce and the country.”
Since the beginning of the current UAW Ford labor agreement, Ford has announced it will invest $2 billion in U.S. manufacturing, add approximately 3,000 U.S. hourly jobs and retain hundreds more. Approximately 2,100 of those already are in place in Wayne, where the company has invested $750 million to build the all-new Ford Bronco and Ranger, along with a modification center where those vehicles will be personalized for customers. Ford remains the largest employer of U.S. hourly autoworkers in the industry.
Ford says this investment is part of its commitment to invest $6 billion in its U.S. plants and create and retain 8,500 jobs in America as part of its current four-year contract with the UAW.
In September, Ford announced that the first all-new 2021 F-150s would be built at the historic Rouge Complex in Dearborn, where the company is investing $700 million to build the all-new truck. At that time, the company also began construction of the new Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, adjacent to the Dearborn Truck Plant, where the upcoming all-electric F-150 will be built, adding another 500 jobs.
The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center that will assemble the electric F-150 also is being designed to bring Ford’s vision of American manufacturing and sustainability into the future. It will use smart and connected technologies that can communicate directly with the vehicles, which will then allow those vehicles to be more sustainable once they’re on the road.
A $150 million investment earmarked for Van Dyke Transmission Plant will retain about 225 jobs and help transform the plant to build e-motors and e-transaxles for future vehicles, including the all-electric F-150.
Kansas City Assembly Plant received more than $400 million investment and an additional 150 jobs to build the all-new Ford F-150 and the all-new zero-emissions E-Transit.
A 2020 Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study found F-Series — assembled 100 percent in the U.S. and America’s best-selling truck since 1977 — is among the most valuable consumer goods in America and a key employment driver. Among other specific findings:
- Ford is the leading U.S. auto manufacturer — responsible for one in five vehicles assembled domestically.
- Ford supports 1 million American jobs — that’s nearly a dozen jobs for every direct Ford employee.
- Up to 14 American jobs are supported by each direct Ford F-Series employee — this equates to about 500,000 total jobs attributable to Ford’s F-Series alone.
- Ford contributes approximately $100 billion to the U.S. GDP and the best-selling F-Series contributes nearly $50 billion.
- Of the more than 2 million full-sized pickup trucks assembled in the U.S. in 2019, Ford assembled nearly half — twice as many as any other automaker.
- The F-Series franchise alone generates more revenue than major companies such as McDonalds US, Nike, Coca-Cola, Visa and Netflix.
- It is among the most valuable consumer good in America — bigger than all major league sports.
