Ford faced a mixed bag in terms of electric vehicle (EV) sales in Q3 2023, with sales of its electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning, experiencing a significant drop, while overall EV sales topped 20,000 units.
According to Ford sales of the Lightning dropped by 46%, with the decline attributed to two factors. One was factory expansion, which saw the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan undergoing a six-week shut down to increase production capacity to 150,000 trucks annually. Compounding the problem, quality checks were deemed necessary before delivering the vehicles to customers, which has resulted in Ford cancelling dealer stock order and delaying deliveries.
The dip in sales happened even after Ford lowered Lightning prices by up to 17% in July.
While the F-150 Lightning faced challenges, Ford’s overall EV sales showed promise, increasing by 15% in Q3, reaching a total of 20,962 units. Leading the way in Ford’s EV lineup was the Mustang Mach-E, which reported a 42.5% growth in sales during the quarter to 14,842 units. The Mach-E’s rise was driven by increased production capacity following a retooling of the manufacturing plant. September alone saw a record-breaking 5,872 units sold, reflecting a 152% year-over-year increase.
The E-Transit, the only other EV in Ford’s lineup, also performed well, marking its best quarter to date with 2,617 units sold, nearly a 90% increase.
However, Ford says the F-150 Lightning’s 46% decline in sales is expected to be a temporary setback. The automaker plans to triple its production capacity after the factory revamp, also introducing a new ‘Flash’ variant with enhanced features to cater to customer demand for modern electric trucks that sits at the “sweet spot,” according to Ford.
