Ford Motor Co. is preparing to cut up to 8,000 jobs in the coming weeks in a bid to reduce costs and intensify its focus on electric vehicles, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Ford officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

The majority of the job cuts are expected to be among Ford's salaried ranks in the United States, where the company employs about 31,000 salaried workers, the report said. ()

Shares of Ford were up 1% in afternoon trade.