This time, Ford Motor Co. made the cut.
The Dearborn automaker has been hailed by Time magazine for being among the Top 100 most influential companies of 2022 “to have an extraordinary impact around the world.”
The question is which companies and business leaders are shaping the future, the magazine said in its article published Wednesday on time.com. The magazine solicited nominations from its editors, correspondents and industry experts in various industries and evaluated based on relevance, impact, innovation, leadership, ambition and success.
Ford is listed in the TITANS category, alongside Chinese automaker Byd Co., Ltd., Amazon, Pfizer, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Netflix, Meta, UPS, Alphabet, United Airlines, Maersk, Capital One, Nubank, IBM , Walmart, Disney and the National Football League.
Each winner is highlighted for a specific achievement in this second annual list of leading companies.
Above a photo of Linda Zhang, chief engineer of the all-electric 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, a headline says Ford is “electrifying everything.”
time reporter Kyla Mandel wrote“Cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and other light trucks account for more than half of all transportation emissions in the United States, making electric vehicles (EVs) key to mitigating climate change. is not enough to simply offer EVs – people have to actually want Ford’s approach, led by CEO Jim Farley: to electrify some of its most popular models, like the F-150, the best-selling pickup since long in the U.S. And it’s working: Demand for the all-electric F-150 Lightning helped push Ford’s market value up more than $100 billion for the first time in January. to lead the electric vehicle revolution,” says Executive Chairman Bill Ford.
Rivian is on Ford’s list of rivals
Rivian, the electric truck startup that counts Ford and Amazon among its top investors, made the list of the 100 Most Influential Companies in the INNOVATORS category. The headline says, “In electric vehicle maker Rivian’s plan to take on Ford and Tesla.”
Journalist Eben Shapiro wrote“There’s a good chance that Rivian will live up to the huge expectations it faces. Or maybe not. The California-based automotive startup, which aspires to be the Patagonia of electric vehicles (EVs) – rugged, hip, consumer-friendly willing to pay a premium to buy from a company that emits a halo of environmental friendliness – is at a critical time.”
Continued:Ford reveals radical plan to restructure automaker into three business units
Continued:Discover the Ford F-150 Lightning through the eyes of a young journalist
Rivian CEO Robert “RJ” Scaringe, a mechanical engineer trained at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is described as a visionary facing the challenge of mass production.
“The fact that Rivian racked up 83,000 pre-orders for its R1T pickup before it even proved it can mass-build them has accelerated the push by mainstream automakers to electrify their best-selling behemoths, Ford and GM both rushing to get electrified versions of their pickups.(At one point, Rivian lent Ford a prototype electric pickup truck made by his team using Rivian’s electrified platform with a body F-150. The performance of the jerry-built vehicle helped convince Ford of the potential of electric pickups.),” Time said.
“Full Competitor”
“Ford has decided to act as a full-fledged competitor to Rivian rather than a production partner, as it once envisioned,” Time wrote.
“Ford is a tremendous player in Rivian’s core business lines, with 200,000 pre-orders for its F-150 Lightning, the recently unveiled electric version of what has long been the best-selling vehicle in the United States,” said declared Time.
“And in a vivid video showcasing Ford’s electrified Transit van, CEO Jim Farley snapped a not-so-veiled photo of Rivian,” Time said, “highlighting Ford’s extensive manufacturing experience and expansive service network. “If things go wrong, we have your back because we have 1,800 commercial vehicle centers in the United States and transit centers scattered all over Europe. Newcomers to the space won’t be able to provide this kind of assistance until, well, maybe ever. “
Continued:The Ford F-150 Lightning exceeds its goal of beating rival Rivian
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Time noted that Rivian’s executive “rejects the narrative that ‘Rivian can only succeed if Ford fails.'”
If consumers need a billion new electric vehicles over the next decade or more, Time quotes Scaringe saying, “There’s no way one company can produce all of these vehicles.”
A year ago, GM and Tesla
When Tesla CEO Elon Musk won Time magazine’s 2021 Person of the Year, Farley tweeted his congratulations almost immediately.
That same year, Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, graced the cover of Time when GM was listed among the 100 most influential companies. She was later named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the Innovators category, along with Musk.
Time magazine definitely keeps up with the ever changing automotive industry.
Zhang, the Lightning’s chief engineer, also made the cover in 2021. The title read, “The Engineer Who Made Electric Vehicles Acceptable for the Pickup Set.”
Continued:She’s chief engineer of the all-electric Ford F-150, leading a revolution
Continued:Ford CEO Jim Farley gave us a big hint that the automaker’s shares will rise
In response to Time’s latest honour, Bill Ford said in a press release Wednesday, “I am honored. … It is especially gratifying because it is not about an individual, but rather a recognition of our incredible employees who work tirelessly to leave the world a better place for our children and grandchildren. Through their hard work, innovation and creativity, we are fundamentally changing the future of transport and mobility and let’s build a cleaner future.
Continued:Ford CEO Says Automaker Is No More Electric Vehicles: What It Really Means
Continued:Ford needs “totally different talent” to achieve its goals. here’s why
Contact Phoebe Wall Howard at313-618-1034 Where[email protected].Follow her on Twitter@phoebesaid. Learn more about Ford and subscribe to our automotive newsletter.
