Confessions from a lifelong Petrol Head. I love electric vehicles and it has nothing to do with politics.

With apologies to “Goodfellas”: As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a car guy.

The rumble of a V-8 feels like the soundtrack of my life. I spent the past 40 years developing new vehicles, from Camrys and Scions at Toyota to F-150 Raptors, Broncos, and Transits here at Ford Motor Company, where my grandfather worked for Henry himself. To this day, I spend many weekends racing Mustangs or wrenching on my 1973 Bronco. 

So as a lifelong petrol head, I was surprised as anyone when I fell in love with electric vehicles.  

It wasn’t government policies or political beliefs that sparked this late-career romance with electric vehicles. It’s because I drive one – my Ford F-150 Lightning Platinum. It is astonishingly quiet and smooth. The effortless acceleration leaves you with a silly grin once you get the feeling back in your face. Every morning, mine is topped up with 300 miles of range. No gas stations, ever. What’s more, my F-150 Lightning has a massive, lockable frunk to go along with the pickup bed. And the Lightning works like a mobile generator that can power a worksite, campsite, tailgate, or even another electric vehicle, or power my home. 

It’s that simple. For me, and for millions of Americans, electric vehicles are removing daily hassles and reminding us why we love to drive. If you want to have a blast behind the wheel, take a Mustang Mach-E Rally out on a dirt road.  

Electric vehicles are not for everyone and every job. But as the CEO of a major automaker, I feel compelled to tell customers the truth about electric vehicles amid all the disinformation and misunderstandings. 

I have seen this movie before. When Ford said we were moving to an aluminum body in our popular F-150, our competitors aired commercials lampooning us. But customers knew better performance and fuel economy when they saw it.

I remember when mobile phones seemed to be just for doctors and stockbrokers. When computers were for NASA. When the internet was a fad and CDs lined my truck’s visor. It takes time for innovations to take hold. But when they do, the shift is profound and lasting.  

I believe the next great shift for vehicles will be toward software-defined and electric vehicles. 

Today, sales of electric vehicles are growing but many remain skeptical due to charging and range, which is understandable. But our research shows that roughly half of Americans take trips over 150 miles only four days or fewer per year. Ford offers several electric models that can be equipped to have a range of over 300 miles. Moreover, 80% of electric vehicle owners charge at home, and the public charging network is becoming larger, even since I took a road trip across the American West in a Lightning last year. And charging access and speed will keep getting better, just as cellular networks went from staticky and constantly dropping to clear and reliable. 

For many families, especially those who own a gas-powered vehicle for longer trips and towing, an electric vehicle is a great second option. Many car shoppers cite cost as a reason not to consider an electric vehicle, but the average price of an electric SUV has fallen almost 22% in the past two years alone. In our experience, Mustang Mach-E owners typically save 64% on fuel costs and 27% on scheduled maintenance per year compared to gas vehicles. The cost difference between an electric vehicle and a comparable gas vehicle may be less than you think.

Most compellingly, once people try an electric vehicle, they usually don’t want to go back. Nearly 70% of global electric vehicle owners say they’ll only buy electric vehicles in the future. If there is one thing I have learned in 40 years it’s this: you never want to be on the wrong side of customers and what matters in their lives.

Ford is a leader in work vehicles and our commercial customers provide an interesting case study. Why? Because their livelihood is on the line and every dollar matters. They can do the math on cost of ownership, productivity, and convenience. Businesses that drive electric F-150 Lightnings could save $2,600 in fuel costs alone over three years.  

Here’s the other thing. We are in a global race to compete in a future where electric propulsion will undoubtedly be a giant force in transportation. America cannot cede innovation leadership to China, Europe, or any other region. Ford has survived and thrived for 121 years because we have never been shy about seizing the moment to innovate and face the future. Now, we are investing billions in plants, tech centers, and our workforce to create the must-have cars, SUVs, and trucks of tomorrow.

It’s true that we are losing money on electric vehicles in the first innings of this transition, largely due to the upfront investment costs. But that too is changing. After all, what major technological leap forward wasn’t challenging and costly at the early stages?   

The tipping point we’re working toward will come not from regulators who push us or from politicians who try to hold us back. It will come from consumers. Not when an arbitrary market share is reached, but when electric vehicles are simply better for more customers – better to drive, cheaper to own, and easier to integrate into daily life. This is the reality for millions already. 

We will continue to offer customers awesome choices across gas, hybrids, and electric – for work and for play.

I could say “take it from a car guy” that electric vehicles are a great choice for many people. But you are better off trying one for yourself and making your own decision. What’s more American than that? Who knows, you might just surprise yourself. I know I did.