Borrowing range extender powertrain from Ramcharger will be interesting; curious to see how it performs, particularly in highway driving and when towing.      

Unfortunately it's bound to have an effect on F series production.

More like it fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.

I know it is effecting the stock price... ouch!!

Word to the wise- I think I would stay out of that bar.   Many of Ford's competitors were also sourcing aluminum sheet out of that plant.

I think the problem was moving to the C1 platform for the Escape in 2013. The Escape had some major issues packaging wise with trims and profitability...I'm not sure if that is because of its EU roots as the Kuga and the market being different there...but I'll use this example-Parents bought Escape Platinum in 2013-it didn't have some options like the sun roof and other things on it, so it was lower price point for that model. My wife bought a 2017 XLT Escape that was I'd say 5-7K cheaper, if not more then the 2013 Platinum and it actually had more options on it then the Platinum did, like dual front power seats (the Platinum at the time only had drivers side). Then add in the discontenting towards the end with the simplified tail lights and other things to save money. Not sure how much the 2020 Escape redesign fixed the profitability part of things, but it appears it at least got the packaging issues fixed. But it had other issues that the automotive press wasn't fans of, but yet its platform mates, the Maverick and Bronco Sport had similar lower end trimmings in its interior for example and they where praised for it.    I still think this whole Nissan thing is a bunch of hot air. 

Predatory trade practices. Any country with a domestic auto industry will lose those companies if they allow BYD cars to be imported absent steep tariffs. 

Yep, this thing got beat with the ugly stick. 

Many of my Ford enthusiast buddies at the local bar think it's sabotage by competitors. Conspiracy theory?  Maybe.

China owns all the mines -- and not just lithium -- so as the Borg in Star Trek used to say, resistance is futile!