A Perfect Partnership?

I'm not really sure how car culture works outside of the US, but over here, we get pretty passionate about our vehicles. With brands like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, I would imagine that there are segments of the population that are equally as passionate worldwide. That doesn't even take into account the supercar subculture and all the other lesser known brands that you folks have over there. I just heard about a new one for the first time the other day from @fullcoverbetting, but I can't remember now what it was.

Living in Michigan, puts a dramatically different light on the auto industry. For the longest time, there were really only three options, and for some of us, there was always only one. A quick Google search shows that 20% of jobs in the state of Michigan are connected to the auto industry. That's one in five people likely work for the auto companies or auto company adjacent.

For @mrsbozz and I, there was always only one choice when it came to buying a vehicle. Both our fathers are retired auto workers for GM, so Chevrolet and it's associated brands are the standard. I did break away from this a short time when I bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee, but after having so many issues with it, I swore I would never buy a Chrysler (now Fiat I think) vehicle again.

Of course I have driven a wide variety of vehicles over the years through rentals and things like that. This Ford took us all the way to Colorado and back. It even took us 14,000 miles up the Rocky Mountains and back down. No complaints from me. In fact, back when the automakers got their huge bailout from the government, I was really impressed with the fact that Ford was the only automaker that didn't need the money, so I decided to buy stock in Ford and I have been holding it ever since. The price hasn't moved that much, but it does offer a nice dividend a couple times a year.

I fully realize that pretty much no vehicle is an "American" vehicle these days, but some people (like my wife) still hold on to their antiquated morals.

Heck, I at least still own a GMC and a Buick, my sister and her husband went full radical when they lived in Indiana and bought a Nissan. My dad didn't drop dead or disown them, so I think it really doesn't matter like we thought it did.

A while ago, Ford had a deal to work with upcoming automaker Rivian on an electric truck that was going to be a competitor for the Tesla Cybertruck. Unfortunately, that partnership fizzled out, but you still see Rivian vehicles every now and then when you are on the road. They are pretty hard to miss (especially if they are behind you), and in my honest opinion, they look a lot better than the rolling dumpster that is a cybertruck.

Yes, Ford did end up releasing an electric Mustang and while I have heard some really good things about it, I have also heard some not so great things about it. I don't hate the way they look, and the acceleration time would appeal to me, but I still don't know if the infrastructure and technology is ready for the long distances that some people have to travel in the US.

About two days ago, I saw a news story that Ford was potentially entering a partnership with Chinese brand Xiaomi. You can read the full story here. This caught my attention due to the checkered history the US has with Xiaomi. I actually have a pair of Xiaomi earbud headphones in my drawer at home. They are wired, so I don't use them as much any more, but they are probably some of the best headphones I have ever had.

Back in 2021, the US government added Xiaomi to a blacklist for the companies ties to the Chinese military, but after they filed a lawsuit the ban was lifted a few months later and there are currently no restrictions on Xiaomi in the US. Which is cool because for a while now they have been making some really good technology at a really reasonable price. I'll leave it up to you to decide if you need to be worried about firmware or hardware embedded spyware in their devices. My guess is you probably have more risk with that smart plug you bought cheap off Amazon versus anything from Xiaomi.

In a bit of a twist, about two days ago a representative from Xiaomi reached out to Car and Driver Magazine to deny any claims that Ford and Xiaomi are in talks, but I think we all know enough to take that with a grain of salt. Given the fact that I saw this news from multiple sources, I wouldn't be shocked if something suddenly materialized and they made it official.

It's pretty clear that Ford has been looking for a strategic partner in the electric vehicle space for quite some time now. Personally, I'd like to see what a partnership like this could produce. As I have said, I think Xiaomi has been making some innovative technology over the years. I know quite a few people here on HIVE like @gooddream use a Xiaomi phone every day. I also think that Ford has a long history of reliability and tradition in the automotive industry. If this ends up actually being something, it could be a match made in heaven.