Ford boosts US Lincoln production as it phases out imports from China

Ford Motor Company plans to expand U.S. production of Lincoln vehicles beginning in 2030 and eventually stop importing vehicles from China for the luxury brand’s American customers.

The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker said Wednesday that the expansion is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect U.S. jobs. Ford did not disclose how much it plans to invest or identify the plants that would receive the additional production.

The move would mark a shift for Lincoln’s U.S. lineup, which currently includes the China-built Nautilus.

The redesigned Nautilus is assembled at the Changan Ford plant in Hangzhou, China, and exported to the U.S. The previous generation was produced at Ford’s Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada.

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Ford did not specifically say whether production of the Nautilus would move to the U.S. under the 2030 plan or identify which China-imported vehicles would be affected.

The announcement comes as Ford and the broader auto industry continue to navigate higher costs and uncertainty tied to tariffs and changing global trade policies.

Ford reported approximately $3 billion in gross costs related to tariffs implemented or revised in 2025, with an approximately $2 billion impact on earnings before interest and taxes after offsets, according to the company’s latest annual report.

Ford did not say whether tariffs or other trade considerations played a role in its decision to phase out Lincoln imports from China.

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Lincoln already produces multiple vehicles in the U.S. For instance, the Navigator is assembled at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, while the Aviator is produced at the Chicago Assembly Plant. Both vehicles are also exported to markets including Canada, Mexico and the Middle East.

The additional production would expand Ford’s already sizable U.S. manufacturing footprint. The company said it assembled more than 2 million vehicles in the U.S. in 2025, more than any other automaker, and led the industry in U.S. vehicle exports and hourly autoworker employment.

Ford employs approximately 56,300 hourly manufacturing workers in the U.S., according to the company.

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Several details of the 2030 expansion remain unclear, including which models will be produced domestically, where that production will be located and how much Ford plans to invest.