Ford is going all-in on their new electric vehicle (EV) lineup. Although their previous electric vehicle, the Focus Electric, was discontinued in 2018 and was never a bestseller, their new line is already outselling several of their competitors and Ford looks like they could one day be in a position to dethrone Tesla as the superior EV manufacturer.
The new Ford EV line includes the Mustang Mach-E, the F-150 Lightning, and the E-Transit. This is a very bare-bone but comprehensive lineup as each car represents a different consumer base that is most important to Ford, I.E. one is a consumer car, one a work vehicle, and the other a logistics/service vehicle. Sales of Ford’s EVs are already on an uptick and one should be aware of how and why that is happening.
8 They Were The No. 2 Manufacturer Of EVs in 2021
Tesla is the number one manufacturer of EVs in the United States and has been for a few years, but Ford is catching up. In 2021, Ford beat other manufacturers and came second behind Tesla as the top maker and seller of US EVs.
Although Tesla still produced hundreds of thousands of EVs last year, Ford came in second and sold over 27,000 Mach-E’s in 2021, which is still a fraction of Tesla’s sales, but Ford might be number one sooner than you think.
7 They Will Double EV Production By 2023
Not only did the Mach-E move almost 30,000 units in 2021, but Ford has decided to invest heavily in the EV market. Ford will have at least 600,000 EV units on the global market by 2023, according to the company’s CEO.
Although if they want to be second behind Tesla, or ever end up in a position to outperform Tesla they need to act fast, as another competitor, General Motors, pledges to sell 1 million EVs by the end of 2025.
6 200,000 Consumers Have Reserved The F-150 Lighting
Another reason that Ford is putting more resources behind their EV lineup is the unexpected demand for their new EVs, particularly the demand for the F-150 Lightning, an impressive EV rendition of their famously dependable F-150 nameplate with 580 horsepower and a battery range up to 300 miles.
Over 200,000 customers have already reserved their F-150 Lightnings, meaning Ford is already on track to meeting ⅓ of their 600,000 EV goal.
5 The Mustang Mach-E Has Better Reviews Than The Tesla Model 3
Tesla suffered a major blow in early February of 2022 when Consumer Reports replaced the Tesla Model 3 with the Ford Mustang Mach-E as their top EV pick. Tesla not only lost out on this but some of their other car’s performances have been underwhelming, or at least overhyped.
For example, the Tesla S Plaid was supposed to deliver a top speed of 200 MPH, it barely went over 160 MPH. Tesla still dominates the EV market, but that dominance is slipping and the recent loss in Consumer Report is proof.
4 The Company Is Also Releasing An EV Cargo Vehicle
With businesses like Amazon booming and with companies like UPS and Fed EX in need of alternatives to Fossil Fuel run cars in the future, Ford thought proactively and introduced an EV cargo vehicle, the E-Transit.
The van has over 480 cubic feet of space and is priced at around $45,000. Except for Chevy’s Bolt Cargo Van, Ford is ahead of most of their competitors with this one. The E Transit is also relatively fast for a cargo van, their engines have at least 260 horsepower.
3 Their EV Battery Range Is Starting To Catch Up To Tesla’s
The average Tesla model’s battery range is between 400 - 412 miles, which is still the best on the market, none of Ford's EVs match it. However, the Mach-E and Lighting have ranges that can hit 300 miles and Ford is working closely with their engineers to increase that range.
A Ford EV with a 400 plus mile range might not be far from happening, especially if the manufacturer continues its progress when it comes battery cell chemistry.
2 Ford Is Exploring Multiple Options For Battery Cell Chemistry
Ford is not only working closely with engineers but is exploring their battery options as well. Ford is working with multiple electric companies to explore the different battery chemistry options available and the company’s executives seem hopeful they can find a power source that is sustainable and efficient.
Ford is in talks with SK On, LG Energy Solution, and Panasonic, to explore those battery options. This diverse exploration of options could very easily lead to Ford making a car with a battery range that can surpass Teslas.
1 No News On Whether Ford Will Convert To Only EV Production
Although Ford is putting all this time and energy into their new EVs, and even though the company is making ambitious promises when it comes to their future EV production, the company is behind others when it comes to one thing, setting a date for their all EV conversion.
Several manufacturers, like Volkswagen, Fiat-Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, and several others have all pledged to convert to only EV production between now and 2030. Ford however has made no such promise, the company has pledged to increase their EV production, but no pledge to convert to all EV manufacturing has been made.