No, Elon Musk has not acquired Ford Motor Company

What’s the claim?

A claim widely circulating on social media suggests that Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk has acquired Ford Motor Company. 

A user on Facebook (archived here) wrote, "Elon Musk surprises the world with Ford acquisition." 

The post further stated, “Elon Musk’s acquisition of Ford has sent shockwaves through the automotive world, promising to reshape the future of the industry. This surprising move aims to merge Ford’s legacy of manufacturing expertise with Tesla’s cutting-edge electric and autonomous technology, accelerating the shift to sustainable mobility. Analysts predict that Musk’s leadership will introduce innovations in electric power and artificial intelligence, enabling Ford to develop advanced models more quickly. Although specific changes in Ford's administration haven’t been revealed, Musk has committed to preserving Ford's brand identity and values while guiding it toward a tech-driven future. This alliance could redefine global automotive standards and create a powerful force in the electric vehicle market.” 

The claim has also gone viral on X and Instagram, with one Instagram post receiving over 1500 likes. Archived versions of such posts can be found here and here.

However, the claim is false. There is no evidence to support the rumor that Musk acquired Ford.

What we found

Our research showed that the claim appears to have originated from a YouTube video (archived here) uploaded on September 16, 2024, by a channel named ‘Elon Musk Rewind.’ The video titled, “Elon Musk JUST OFFICIALLY Bought Ford & Ends All Competition!” includes a disclaimer in the video description, emphasizing that the content shared on its channel contains unverified information and should not be taken as endorsed facts.

We thoroughly examined Ford’s official press releases on its website and the company’s verified social media accounts, including X, Instagram, and Facebook, as of November 20, 2024, but found no announcement regarding Musk's acquisition of Ford. 

Additionally, we reviewed Musk’s verified account on X and Tesla’s official website for statements regarding the acquisition, but no such announcements were found.

Ford Motor Company’s Newsroom and Campaigns Manager, Toby Lyon-Brown, confirmed to Logically Facts that the claim is “entirely false.”

Furthermore, on May 25, 2023, Ford and Tesla entered into an agreement granting Ford electric vehicle owners access to Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network in the U.S. and Canada. While this partnership marks a significant collaboration between the two automakers, it does not imply that Musk has acquired Ford.

The verdict

Ford's newsroom and campaigns manager has denied the claims that Elon Musk acquired the Ford Motor Company. There are also no credible news reports or official statements by Tesla to corroborate the claim.