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StocksMediumUpdated•Originally published 8 September 2026•Updated 8 September 2026•
2 min read

Transportation Secretary Duffy Raises Security Concerns Over Ford Ties to CATL, Geely and BYD

Key Facts

1On September 8, 2026, the transportation secretary's letter to Ford named CATL, Geely and BYD among the dealings raising national-security concerns.
2Ford will own 66% and Geely 34% of their European venture, with operations targeted for the first half of 2027 and production for 2028.
3Ford (F) closed at $14.62 on September 4, 2026, after trading between $14.3 and $14.64.

On September 8, 2026, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Ford chief executive Jim Farley in a letter that the company's dealings with Chinese firms raised deep national-security concerns, Reuters reported.

The letter named CATL, Geely and BYD. The report identified no penalty or new Ford-specific rule, so the announced political scrutiny should be distinguished from any potential enforcement action that has not been announced.

The CATL connection is clearest at Ford's Michigan battery project. On June 17, 2026, Ford said BlueOval Battery Park Michigan had begun assembling its first full prismatic LFP cells and remained on track to ship electric-vehicle batteries during 2026, describing the progress as the product of its work with CATL.

With Geely, the companies announced on July 23, 2026, an agreement to establish a Europe-focused joint venture at Ford's plant in Valencia, Spain. Ford will own 66% and Geely 34%; subject to regulatory approvals, operations are expected to begin in the first half of 2027 and new vehicles are scheduled to enter production in 2028.

Duffy's letter sits within a broader regulatory environment but does not itself amount to a new rule. Commerce Department connected-vehicle regulations restrict covered China-linked software beginning with model year 2027 and covered connectivity hardware beginning with model year 2030.

According to EL7's internal market data, Ford (F) closed at $14.62 on September 4, 2026, after trading between $14.3 and $14.64. For investors, the next verifiable development is a Ford response or documented government action, not an assumed sanction or an unsupported technical support level.