The automaker said it now plans to start producing electric vehicles at its Oakville, Ont., plant in 2027, instead of 2025, as it focuses on hybrids. (The Logic)

Talking point: The news comes amid growing uncertainty about the market for electric vehicles. Oakville’s production of the gas-powered Ford Edge is scheduled to end in a month. Ford plans to close the plant for remodeling in the coming months despite the delay of its EV plans. Local Unifor chair Marc Brennan called the delay “unacceptable” and said the union is exploring all options to lessen the impact on its 3,200 Ford Oakville workers, who will need to negotiate income support now that the plant will be inactive for longer than the original eight-month timeline. It’s an about face from less than four years ago, when Ford pledged to build a $1.8-billion EV complex in Oakville that would house five EV manufacturing lines starting in 2026, with $295 million each from the federal and provincial governments. Ford said it is continuing to build out other greenfield EV plants and convert other existing assembly plants but wants additional time for the consumer market to “develop” for the Oakville-made EVs.