- Ford believes Chinese automakers could reach America in 5-10 years, despite current barriers. - Chinese brands have already grabbed major sales wins across regions like Europe and Australia. - Detroit is developing cheaper EVs before Chinese rivals eventually reach American showrooms. Chinese automakers are effectively locked out of America today, but Ford’s CEO Jim Farley apparently doesn’t expect that wall to stand forever. Farley reportedly told employees that Chinese brands could enter the US within five to 10 years, giving Detroit a useful deadline for getting its house in order. Farley and other senior Ford executives discussed the possibility of a Chinese incursion during an employee town hall, suggesting an arrival toward the later end of that 5-10-year window is more likely, Reuters sources say. That’s despite big financial and regulatory barriers currently making Chinese cars extremely difficult to sell in America. Related: Ford’s Chairman Warns America Can’t Keep Chinese Cars Out Forever Chinese cars face tariffs of around 100 percent as of 2026, while connected-vehicle regulations progressively restrict Chinese software and hardware. Those regulations have forced Polestar, mostly owned by China’s Geely, to exit the US after MY26, despite building its 3 SUV at Volvo’s plant in South Carolina. Lawmakers are also pushing for even tougher measures. But Ford’s leadership clearly isn’t betting the company on those protections lasting indefinitely. Executive Chairman Bill Ford made that point recently when discussing the threat from China. “We can’t expect to keep them out forever, and we have to be able to beat them at their own game,” he said, according to the Wall Street Journal. There’s plenty of evidence explaining Ford’s concern. Chinese automakers have stormed markets where they’ve been allowed to compete, accounting for roughly one in 10 European sales. In Britain, Jaecoo only registered its first vehicle in