--- title: "Doug Field Transformed Ford’s EV Operation in 4 Years. Now He’s Leaving: TDS" date: "2026-04-16" modified: "2026-04-16" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/doug-field-transformed-fords-ev-operation-now-hes-leaving-after-4-years-tds" categories: - "News" - "The Downshift" tags: - "Electric Vehicle" - "Ford" --- # Doug Field Transformed Ford’s EV Operation in 4 Years. Now He’s Leaving: TDS ![Doug Field presents Ford's Universal EV platform.]() *Doug Field, Chief EV, Digital and Design Officer at Ford, is leaving the company. \Ford\* Good morning and welcome to *[The Downshift]()*, or *TDS* for short. *The Downshift* brings you the biggest automotive industry headlines from around the globe every morning in quick summaries so you can get up to speed and on with your day. Each item contains a link you can follow for more information. Grab a cup of your favorite caffeinated beverage and let’s hit it. ⚡ Doug Field, who led Ford's EV efforts after roles at Tesla and Apple, has decided to leave the automaker, the company announced Wednesday afternoon. "I believe Ford now has a winning technology strategy and plan," Field said in a [statement](). "The first breakthrough product off the Universal EV platform—a mid-size pickup—is on its way to production. We have clearly defined hardware, software, and electrification plans across our full product line." A new division, called Product Creation and Industrialization that includes the group formerly led by Field, will be headed by COO Kumar Galhotra, while Alan Clarke will run the Advanced Development Projects team that created the Universal platform. 🫴 The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency announced that it will begin accepting applications on April 20 for refunds for President Trump's tariffs that the U.S. Supreme Court declared were unconstitutional back in February. Some 3,000 businesses have filed lawsuits seeking recompense, *[Automotive News]()* reported, many of them car manufacturers. ⏬ New EV registrations in the U.S. fell 37 percent in February compared to the same month a year prior, according to *[Auto News]()*. 🚀 SpaceX reportedly accounted for 18% of all Tesla Cybertrucks sold in the fourth quarter, *[Bloomberg]()* has reported citing data from S&P Global Mobility. 🤝 Stellantis and Microsoft have signed a five-year agreement "to co-develop artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and engineering capabilities," per *[Reuters]()*. 🏭 Stellantis' Brampton, Ontario assembly plant is still idle after a plan to assemble Chinese EVs from Leapmotor at the site was shot down by officials and organized labor, per *[Auto News]()*. 📋 The FIA and ACO have announced that they will no longer be publishing balance-of-performance data for World Endurance Championship racing teams, in an effort to diminish public "misunderstanding," *[Motorsport.com]()* has reported. BOP, as it's referred to, is the mandated scaling of the relative performance of different cars to promote closer competition. *Got a tip or feedback? Send a note to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()