Ford announced on Wednesday it has hit a major milestone for its first all-electric vehicle, the Mustang Mach-E. According to the Detroit-based automaker they have now produced 150,000 of the electric SUV.
Production of the Mach-E started just under two years ago, with the automaker deciding to go with the Mustang monicker, a decision that raised the ire of many Ford enthusiasts. Despite this Ford says the Mach-E has proven to be popular among its fans, but especially those considering a switch from an internal combustion engine (ICE) car to an electric one.
Ford says more than 80% of its customers in the US, and more than 90% in Europe, are replacing an ICE car with their Mach-E.
“When we put the pony on this Mustang, we knew we’d have skeptics. What we didn’t quite know then was just how popular this car would become,” said Darren Palmer, vice president, Electric Vehicle Programs, Ford Model e. “I love seeing Mustang Mach-E vehicles on the road and talking to customers, and I am seeing more and more of them.”
The Mach-E is now available in 37 countries around the world, an increase from the 22 it was available in during its first year on the market, with the most recent additions being New Zealand, Brazil, and Argentina.
Ford is planning to ramp production further, aiming to reach a production rate of 600,000 EVs annually by late 2023, growing to more than 2 million per year by 2026.
While it is an impressive accomplishment for Ford, it highlights how difficult the EV production can be for legacy automakers who can only build EVs as quickly as they can secure the battery cells to go inside of them. In the same timeframe that it took Ford to build 150,000 Mach-E SUVs, Tesla was able to produce more than 800,000 of their electric SUVs, the Model Y.
The Mach-E has also had its share of problems with Consumer Reports recently dropping the EV from its list of recommended vehicles citing reliability issues from owners it surveyed.
Consumer Reports drops recommendation for Ford Mustang Mach-E
