Ford will shift some electric SUV vehicle production to Mexico and start self-driving tests in the US in 2018.

President Trump is guaranteed to be unhappy with this announcement: Ford Now Plans to Move Production of Electric SUVs From Michigan to Mexico.

The SUV to be built in Mexico starting in 2020 will go 300 miles on a single charge and is the centerpiece of a planned $4.5 billion overhaul of Ford’s lineup to add 13 electric or hybrid models. Ford has been viewed by Wall Street as playing catch-up to rivals such as Tesla Inc. and General Motors Co., which already sells the battery-powered Chevy Bolt and plans to introduce robot taxis in 2019.

Moving production of the as-yet-unnamed electric SUV to Mexico will allow the carmaker to boost production of self-driving vehicles at its factory in Flat Rock, Michigan, according to its plans revealed late Wednesday.

Self-Driving Test 2018

In related news, Ford to Test New Self-Driving Vehicle Technology in 2018.

The automaker said on Thursday that it would test self-driving prototypes in various pilot programs with partners such as Lyft, the ride services company in which rival General Motors Co. owns a minority stake, and Domino’s Pizza Inc. However, Ford has still not decided whether to operate its own on-demand transportation service.

Ford vs GM

Last week I noted GM to Have Robotaxi Service by 2019.

Competition in the self-driving space is heating up.