Ford Motor Co. is poised to deliver a series of sweeping technology-focused product updates, with 90% of its vehicles by volume by 2030 set to feature updated electrical architectures, over-the-air updates, and improved customer experiences and services.
That’s spearheaded by a new Product Creation and Industrialization organization, Ford announced in April. Led by COO Kumar Galhotra, it will unite that advanced tech with industrial-scale product execution.
Later in April, by phone, we caught up with Salvatore “Sam” Basile, Ford’s new Advanced Product Development Vice President, who reports to Galhotra, on some of these technology priorities alongside some pressing product questions about pickups, plug-in vehicles and more.
Basile started in General Motors product engineering in 1994. He spent most of his nearly 30-year career at that automaker before joining Ford as VP, Advanced Product Development, Cycle Planning and Programs in October 2025.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
WARDSAUTO: Given all the turmoil these days, what are your product direction and top priorities?
SAM BASILE: To double down where we are really strong, which is truck leadership -- our 50th year coming up -- including Ford Pro with the Super Duty pickup and Transit Van. We still see a lot of potential in large SUVs, so we’re investing heavily in Expedition and Navigator. That is an area where I think we can reclaim some lost ground, even in light of regulations that may be uncertain long term, and we absolutely have the product plan and capability to take advantage of that segment. We like what we have now, but we need to prepare for the future. Also, the enthusiast segments with Bronco and Mustang. I'm excited about what we have coming down the pipeline on those. And in mid-market and entry-level SUVs, we have a plan in those areas as well.
No passenger cars but Mustang and no more pure EV trucks?
We do have a battery EV pickup coming next year, but it’s not a full-size pickup. The next-generation F-150 will have an extended-range EV — EREV — version, which will address the questions about towing and being away from the charging grid. Depending on what engine you select for the generator, you can actually enhance the performance of the F-150. You can tow more with no worry about the EV range degradation that happens when you tow or haul a heavy load because you have a big generator on the vehicle.
Some years ago, after they had canceled the EREV Volt, GM’s Mark Reuss told me that they were not going to do any more hybrids because the cost was too high.
That can be an issue, but from a consumer standpoint, the EREV works. Unless you're going long distances, you are pure electric, saving fuel. But if you need to go longer, or if you can't charge for a while, you have the backup system in place. That does come with cost, but that's our problem to solve. And it can be solved.
How are you dealing with tariffs?
80% of the vehicles we sell in the U.S. are assembled here, more than 2 million vehicles last year, more than anyone else, and we employ more U.S. employees. We do have plants elsewhere and an integrated supply chain across America, but we are still the top auto producer in America.
Will you be moving any more production to the U.S.?
We're not going to comment on future production. We are working closely with the Trump Administration when it comes to tariffs.
How is the recent easing of future emissions requirements affecting Ford?
We are still evaluating the impact of this decision on our business. The production cycle for automobiles can be as long as five or even seven years from design to delivery. During this long-term process, Ford considers a multitude of market and policy factors including, but not limited to, emissions regulations such as the EPA's greenhouse gas standards.
Ford has had a lot of recalls lately, which is both expensive and damaging to the brand.
We have had an intense focus on quality, a sustained business effort, for the last few years, and it will keep going. We are seeing early progress on our initial quality, which is all we can measure in the time frame within which we have redoubled our efforts. We've also seen positive signs on long-term durability from our own testing, but that will take some time to come home. We’re doing recalls to make sure we address the problems that could be out there and are protecting our customers, but I think we're on the tail end of sweeping up all the issues that we know about. You should be seeing that number drop a year from now and beyond. You will really see the fruits of our quality efforts come true on both initial quality and long-term reliability.
As a former GM guy, how are you seeing Ford products vs. the competition?
I think we have a lot to feel good about and be proud of here at Ford, including leadership in trucks, both light- and heavy duty, and the Ranger in the rest of the world. Mustang and Bronco are super strong products in their segments. I like what we have coming with a new EV and what we are going to do with our next-generation F-150, which will include an EREV. And I like what we're doing on the racing front because of how we use racing to learn and bring what we learn into our products. And I especially love what we're doing on the powertrain front by offering customers choices of ICE, traditional hybrid, EREV and EVs at affordable prices where EVs make a lot of sense.
Any personal favorites?
I haven't worked my way through the whole lineup yet, but I love our trucks. Until I got my latest company car, my personal favorite was the 2.3-liter, manual-transmission Bronco. From a fun-to-drive aspect, it is a fantastic vehicle, I was pleasantly surprised and almost didn’t want to give it back. And I recently picked up a well-equipped Navigator that I'm enjoying a lot.
