NEW YORK, May 27, 2026, 09:02 EDT
- Ford ended Tuesday at $15.32, a gain of 2.6%. The New York cash session was set to reopen at 9:30 a.m. EDT.
- Investors are pushing the rally on Ford Energy and its battery-storage plans, not from a big shift in Ford’s main car business.
- The risk is that the EDF deal has a long timeline and complex execution, while Ford still faces EV losses, high materials costs, and exposure to policy shifts.
Ford Motor stock is trading close to its 2023 highs going into Wednesday’s U.S. session, with investors focused on the company’s battery storage push for grids, data centers and big industrial buyers. Shares ended Tuesday at $15.32, a 2.6% gain. Ford’s market cap is about $62.4 billion.
Ford shares are up about 28% over the last two weeks, according to the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, as investors focus on Ford Energy—its new business to spin battery tech into energy storage for the grid. The move isn’t really about F-150 sales, dealer offers, or incentives this time.
NYSE trading ran from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Eastern, after U.S. markets closed Monday for Memorial Day. On Tuesday, Ford led automakers, climbing 2.61%. GM gained 1.27% and Tesla added 1.78%. The S&P 500 rose 0.61%.
Ford Energy has lined up a five-year framework deal with EDF power solutions North America. The agreement lets EDF buy as much as 4 gigawatt-hours a year of Ford Energy DC Block battery energy storage systems, or BESS. These are big battery packs that can store and supply electricity. The possible total is up to 20 GWh over the life of the agreement.
“This agreement with EDF power solutions validates the market’s need,” said Lisa Drake, president of Ford Energy, in the company’s statement. EDF power solutions North America CEO Tristan Grimbert said supply chain reliability and product quality are “paramount.”
AI is putting more strain on the grid. Data centers want more backup power as surging AI demand pushes the U.S. electricity system. Carmakers are looking to turn electric-vehicle battery investments into stationary storage uses, Reuters said last week. Ford’s EDF deliveries are set to start in 2028.
Morgan Stanley analysts called Ford’s deal to license battery technology from China’s CATL an “underappreciated strategic competitive advantage,” and Wall Street started to take notice. Ford is putting $2 billion into energy storage and plans to roll out at least 20 GWh each year, Reuters said this month. Reuters
Ford’s move lands the company in direct competition with Tesla, which has a major energy-storage arm. GM and Stellantis haven’t seen the same market reaction to power-grid efforts. Still, it’s not a straight comparison since Ford remains mostly a carmaker. Even so, the market is treating Ford shares this week as if storage could turn into another strong profit area.
Ford has a stronger earnings base now than it did earlier this year. The automaker lifted its 2026 adjusted EBIT outlook to $8.5 billion to $10.5 billion, up after reporting first-quarter revenue of $43.3 billion and net income at $2.5 billion. CEO Jim Farley said Ford has built “the foundation for a more modern, resilient Ford.” Q4 Capital
The rally is still about promise, not proof. The EDF deal gives Ford a supply hookup, but deliveries are still years away. Ford will need to land more big customers if it wants the 20 GWh-a-year goal to mean stable revenue. Its Model e EV business is on track to lose $4.0 billion to $4.5 billion this year. The company has also flagged aluminum, tariff, and commodity risks.
Ford is one of the few traditional automakers with a new investor pitch built on AI infrastructure, rather than standard auto themes. Wednesday’s session will test if the market keeps backing that story or wants more detail around orders, margins and delivery dates.
