Ford‘s electric vehicle (EV) sales have jolted upward an electrifying 103% over this time last year. The Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, and E-Transit van led the charge as EVs grabbed 8.6% of Ford‘s total November 2022 sales. In this article, we‘ll analyze what‘s powering Ford‘s EV success and how they plan to maintain momentum.
Breaking Down the Numbers
First, let‘s quantify Ford‘s red-hot electric sales growth using recent monthly data…
November 2022:
- Ford EV sales: 6,255 units
- Year-over-year increase: 103%
Mach-E sales accelerated 14.6% over 2021 to 3,539 cars. The new F-150 Lightning actually outsold rivals from Rivian and GMC, with over 2,062 trucks purchased in November. Another 654 commercial E-Transit vans hit the road last month to ring up sales.
Zooming out to year-to-date figures reveals…
2022 year-to-date (through November)
- Ford EV sales: 61,575 units
- 2021 full year Ford EV sales: 27,140 units
This shows 2022 crushing last year‘s full year sales with a month still remaining!
Clearly demand for Ford‘s newest models continues rapidly rising. Let‘s analyze the key factors convincing buyers to go electric.
Why Ford EVs Are Striking a Chord
Ford‘s legacy as an automotive icon plus heavy investment in new technology is paying off. While the Lightning and Mach-E definitely capture attention with their legendary nameplates, substance backs up the sizzle.
Here‘s what driving interest in Ford electric vehicles:
Price – With a Mach-E starting under $47,000 and Lightning base mode at $41,000, Ford EVs fall thousands below premium rivals. Factor in the $7,500 tax credit and Ford clinches the value play.
Performance – Matching gasoline-powered variants, Mach-E and Lightning deliver sports car acceleration figures, plus strong towing and payload for the pickup. Smart engineering preserves capabilities.
Range – Thanks to aerodynamics and battery breakthroughs, Mustang Mach-E now reaches 312 miles per charge. The extended range F-150 Lightning can even hit 320 miles. Range anxiety fades.
Charging Network – FordPass provides seamless access to 20,500+ public charging plugs nationwide to quell recharge worries. Integrated apps simplify payments as you go.
Familiarity – With over 3,000 Ford dealers nationwide, customers have convenience and peace of mind. Many dealers now EV-certified for knowledgeable sales and service.
As America‘s long-time auto sales leader, Ford has the production know-how and capacity to scale EVs for the masses. And early adopters clearly like what they see!
Mapping Ford‘s Route to an Electric Future
Given vigorous early response for electric entries like Mustang Mach-E and Lightning, Ford committed to ramping up the EV rollout.
The company already boosted its 2023 EV production target to 600,000 vehicles globally – doubling the prior outlook.
Longer term, Ford‘s goals grow even more ambitious. CEO Jim Farley recently announced aims to manufacture over 2 million EVs per year by 2026.
And looking down the road to the end of this decade, Ford now sets sights on building 5 million (!) EVs annually by 2030.
Hitting these targets requires tens of billions in investments…
Funding the Electric Future
Transitioning one of the world‘s largest automakers to EVs at scale is no small feat. While early sales numbers are promising, delivering the vehicles is the greater challenge.
To ready its supply chain, Ford is heavily investing to reinforce production capacity:
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Battery plants – Ford broke ground on twin battery campuses in Kentucky and Tennessee that will manufacture cells and assemble them into packs. These plants strengthen Ford‘s vertical integration.
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Legacy site conversion – Factories that have churned out internal combustion vehicles for decades will need retooling. Ford‘s historic Rouge complex is becoming a new EV hub.
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Job training – Thousands of manufacturing line workers will receive advanced technical skills training to handle EV components and assembly.
Collectively, Ford and its battery partner CATL are committing over $11 billion to scale electric vehicle production in North America.
Ford also keeps the pedal down adding models to its EV portfolio, including an upcoming electric Explorer SUV.
If early consumer appetite for models like Mustang Mach-E proves sustainable, Ford seems posed to realize its rallying cry…
Electric For All
Ford democratized personal transportation over a century ago by applying mass production efficiencies to fabricate affordable and reliable gasoline-powered cars.
Now the company appears on the brink of making a similar breakthrough with EVs.
By leveraging its production capacity and distribution strengths to maximize value, Ford is maturing electric mobility from early adopter curiosity into a viable choice for everyday buyers.
If November‘s 100%+ EV sales growth is any indication, Ford EVs may soon be as ubiquitous as the Model T.
