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Jim Farley drives using BlueCruise in his F-150 Lightning.
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Jim Farley
09.08.23

Notes from the Road | Go & See Week Day 1 Diary

This week I’m out on the road in an F-150 Lightning to kick off Go and See Week. I had a great first day of learning from our colleagues, dealers, and customers — and helping to power a carnival along the way!

8:00 AM – I kicked off my trip by meeting with our ADAS team at Greenfield Labs in Palo Alto, California. They’re hard at work on software that will make a big difference for our customers.

A man wearing khaki pants and a pink polo shirt speaks to a room of standing listeners.

8:30 AM – And before hitting the road, I joined a Cars and Coffee event. I got to talk to some of our customers and hear about their experiences with Ford — and their road trip stories! I get so much from these conversations.

Viewed through the window from within the cab of a vehicle, a man looks at his phone while two others smile and look over his shoulder at the screen.

This time on the road is about “going and seeing” and learning directly from the people I serve as CEO. So this morning was a great way to start.

A large group of people smile for a photo.

10:30 AM – Next, I headed to the Ford Store at Morgan Hill, the #2 F-150 Lightning and #4 Mustang Mach-E dealership in the country. I talked with the team about everything we’re doing together to remake the buying and ownership experience for our customers.

A group of people in formal attire speak in a car dealership show room.

Morgan Hill has used non-negotiated pricing since they opened in 2005. Talk about a way to make our customers’ lives easier … as I heard from this couple whose sales visit I jumped in on!

Two car shopping customers speak to a man in khaki pants and a polo shirt while looking at a new vehicle for purchase.

12:15 PM – Before long, it was time to get back on the road — with a stop at this great fruit and nuts stand along the way. My son Jaimo and I got some delicious fresh peaches!

A colorful array of fruits and nuts with other small snack items for sale sit in a roadside booth.

While I drove, I used BlueCruise, which makes a long trip like this much so much easier. There’s no wonder it’s Consumer Reports’ top ADAS system!

Viewed from the passenger seat, a man drives a vehicle with no hands on the wheel, displaying hands-free driving capabilities of the vehicle.

2:45 PM – I had a smooth first charging experience at Harris Ranch. And I’m so excited that Ford customers will be getting access to Tesla’s Supercharger network early next year, which also has a big installation here.

A red electric vehicle is plugged into a charger.

6:00 PM – In Bakersfield, I joined Joe Hay and the team at Jim Burke Ford for an incredible event they put on to support their local community. We used Pro Power Onboard to power a set of bouncy castles as part of a mini-carnival for local kids in partnership with the local Boys & Girls Club.

A man hands backpacks and other items out of the frunk of his electric truck to children in the parking lot of a ford dealership.

Jim Burke Ford’s Ford Dimension and Dream Builders program makes such a difference for these kids. It’s such a great example of how our dealerships play critical roles in the communities they serve.

A group of kids pose for a photo in the parking lot of a Ford dealership. In the background the building with the Ford logo and a bouncy castle can be seen.

8:30 PM – And as I call it a day, I just have to show off the Lightning’s Frunk. I never get tired of it. It’s huge — perfect for securely storing luggage. And our brilliant engineers thought of everything. Check out the overhead lighting!

The frunk of a Ford F-150 Lightning shown packed with luggage and illuminated by an overhead light.

Thanks so much for following along. I’ll be sharing more updates tomorrow!