Ford will be cutting 2,000 salaried positions and 1,000 agency jobs across its major markets worldwide this week, according to a letter sent to employees, sighted by US publications Automotive News and The Wall Street Journal.

The publication also said that affected employees - mostly in USA, Canada, and India - will be informed of their termination within this week.

Looking at the industry’s trend towards electrification, it is reasonable to view Ford’s latest restructuring effort as part of a wider move to cut redundant roles and to redeploy resources to support electric vehicle development, except that it’s not that simple.

Automotive News says job cuts extend across the organization, including its electric-only Model E division.

CEO Farley has previously mentioned that profitability of its Model E division is still below par, and the company’s EV efforts are still being funded by regular combustion engine products, and that its Model E division needs to operate more efficiently.

"None of this changes the fact that this is a difficult and emotional time," the letter said, according to Automotive News.

"The people leaving the company this week are friends and coworkers and we want to thank them for all they have contributed to Ford. We have a duty to care for and support those affected – and we will live up to this duty — providing not only benefits but significant help to find new career opportunities."

In Ford’s Q2 earnings call to investors last month, CEO Farley said Ford has too many people on its payroll.

“We have skills that don’t work any more and we have jobs that need to change,” he said. “In the past, often indiscriminately, we’d take the cost out. That’s not what’s happening at Ford now. This is a different kind of change, where we’re reshaping the company.”