Ford wants to sell more EVs, but its Model e dealer program hasn’t been the success it hoped for. The automaker is now taking a step back from the requirements it created for the program, enabling all Ford dealers to sell electric models.
The Blue Oval’s dealer program required heavy investments in charging, training, and other upgrades. While enrollment was strong at first, the numbers have fallen since, limiting Ford’s ability to get EVs in front of buyers in key markets. It has eased the program’s requirements since then, but removing them completely opens the door for all dealers to sell EVs.
That puts 90 percent of Americans within 25 miles of a Ford dealer with EV sales and service capabilities. It should also help the automaker move more inventory, as it has realized that demand isn’t growing as quickly as hoped.
The program will wind down at the end of June, with changes coming on July 1. Many dealers have already made the required investments, which makes this move seem like a raw deal for them, but Ford executives believe they will have a competitive advantage, saying that the charging infrastructure will drive traffic and revenue.
Ford saw improving EV sales in May, with a 65 percent increase. The F-150 Lightning outsells all other electric trucks, and the Mustang Mach-E is second behind only the Tesla Model Y juggernaut. The automaker is second on EV sales overall behind Tesla, not counting Hyundai/Kia combined sales.
[Images: Ford]
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