Ford to move Lincoln production out of China, blaming a 52.5% tariff

The company had promised as recently as 2023 that the Lincoln Nautilus would be its first China-made vehicle sold in America. That plan is now dead. Production shifts to the US by 2030.

by Julian HaleAug 13, 2026Business1 Min Read

Ford Motor Company announced on 12 August 2026 that it will shift production of select Lincoln models — most notably the Lincoln Nautilus — from China to the United States by 2030. The decision marks a significant reversal for the automaker, which had said as recently as 2023 that the next-generation Nautilus would be the first Lincoln vehicle imported from China to the American market.

The about-face is driven in large part by a steep import duty. The U.S. tariff on the Lincoln Nautilus currently stands at 52.5% on Chinese-imported vehicles, a level that Ford's leadership concluded made continued reliance on Chinese manufacturing unviable for the brand in the American market.

Chief Executive Jim Farley was direct about the catalyst.

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Julian HaleBusiness

Julian Hale covers corporate power and the people who wield it — boardrooms, deals, and the money moving behind the headlines. Meticulous, well-sourced, and hard to impress with a press release.

Ford to move Lincoln production out of China, blaming a 52.5% tariff

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