Being late to the game didn’t help, either. While Toyota, Honda, and Nissan were busy paving the way for hybrid and electric cars, Ford was watching on the sidelines. Perhaps Ford is beginning to turn that around now, but if  it neglects to throw its weight behind its electrified vehicles, it may find itself lagging behind, yet again, the likes of Toyota and Nissan. For an automotive pioneer like Ford, with such a rich history of automotive leadership, to lag behind the competition is something it simply can’t afford to do.