Ford Explores BYD Battery Supply for Hybrid Models

Ford may be looking to China for batteries, with reports suggesting the American carmaker is in discussions with BYD to source battery packs for its hybrid vehicles.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, talks between Ford and BYD are still at an exploratory stage, and the exact scope of any potential agreement is yet to be finalised. People familiar with the matter indicated that the batteries could be used in hybrid models sold outside the United States.

If the deal goes through, Ford would import BYD-made batteries to its manufacturing facilities outside the US, with possible locations including Germany, Spain, Turkey, Thailand and other international plants. However, sources cautioned that negotiations are ongoing and may still collapse. Ford, responding to the report, said it routinely engages with multiple companies, while BYD declined to comment.

The development follows Ford’s recent announcement to discontinue the all-electric F-150 Lightning, part of a broader restructuring under its Ford+ strategy. The company is shifting focus away from large electric vehicles and instead prioritising smaller, more affordable models built on its low-cost Universal EV (UEV) platform. In the interim, Ford plans to rely more heavily on hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs).

As part of this shift, Ford intends to replace the electric pickup with an EREV version that combines a battery with a petrol engine acting as a generator. The restructuring is expected to cost Ford around $19.5 billion, with nearly half linked to the cancellation of the Lightning programme.

Meanwhile, Ford is close to completing its BlueOval Battery Park in Michigan, where it will use battery technology licensed from China’s CATL for future UEV-based models. Production at the plant is scheduled to begin later this year, with the first UEV vehicle expected to be a mid-size electric pickup priced at around $30,000.

Ford CEO Jim Farley has also signalled plans to expand the brand’s hybrid and EREV lineup, encouraged by the strong response to the F-150 Hybrid.

Ford and BYD already have an existing relationship. In 2020, Changan Ford began using BYD batteries in vehicles sold in China, and BYD has since reportedly explored supplying batteries to Ford for other markets as well.

With China continuing to lead global EV and battery technology development, a potential Ford-BYD partnership would help Ford secure battery supply as it ramps up its next phase of electrification.

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