03:12 24-07-2026

Lincoln Nautilus: Ford weighs a move from China to US production

Senator Bernie Moreno says Ford has agreed to localize Lincoln Nautilus output amid new US restrictions on Chinese-linked connected vehicles.

Production of the Lincoln Nautilus could shift from China to the United States. US Senator Bernie Moreno told Reuters that Ford has agreed to localize output of the premium crossover. The automaker itself, however, has not yet presented a specific plan or named a future plant.

The current-generation Nautilus has been built since 2024 at the Changan Ford joint venture in Hangzhou and shipped from there to North America. The model was previously produced in Oakville, Canada, but that plant is being retooled for other programs.

The possible move is driven by new US restrictions on connected vehicles tied to China and Russia. A ban on certain software takes effect starting with the 2027 model year, while hardware restrictions follow from 2030. Ford has already requested a special waiver to keep importing the Nautilus: the vehicle's software is developed in the US but installed at the Chinese plant.

Additional pressure comes from the Connected Vehicle Security Act, backed by Senators Moreno and Elissa Slotkin. The bill would tighten restrictions on vehicles, software and electronic components linked to countries the US considers foreign adversaries.

32CARS.RU has previously explained which cars count as most closely tied to American manufacturing. The assessment looks not at a brand's country of origin but at assembly location, components, engines, transmissions and jobs created.

For Lincoln, localization would let it keep the Nautilus in its biggest market without needing special import waivers. It's still unclear, though, whether the move would apply to the current generation, the next one, or only to US-bound vehicles. So it's too early to count the Nautilus among America's homegrown 2026 models based on production site.