Official: Ford cuts 2023 Mach-E pricing 🔻 and increasing production 🔺!

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

We need Tesla to start pumping out Cyber Trucks at the original $40K price point.

and I need a unicorn, but I'm not counting on either one happening.

 

[Bmr4MachE]

I just take this as confirmation that I was correct about MY23 being way over priced.

Our MY22 with the $7500 credit was the correct price.

 

[Blue highway]

I don't think this is a valid argument, as Tesla is cranking out tons of <$55k MY's...they just aren't sitting on the website indefinitely. You can still custom order a <$55k MY, and inventory will pop in frequently. So someone that wants a car right away without ordering just has to camp the website and grab what they want when it pops up.

I have a feeling Tesla might have to do something to help move their >$55k MY inventory as I'm not sure they have enough buyers who don't qualify for tax credits. I'm guessing they'll just shift production focus and let current stock slowly settle down on the >$55k stuff.

So Ford most definitely is competing against <$55k 330 mile range MY's that get the full tax credit.

I predict Ford will end up dropping a LR version down below $55k, soon.

maybe but I doubt it without other de-contenting. The batteries are too expensive and costs are still going in the wrong direction.

 

[Bigfeets]

I have a '22 MME Premium ER AWD, ordered Dec. 14, 2021, delivered Nov. 3, 2022, cost $59K w/ ER, Cyber-Orange paint ($795) and floor mats as the only upgrades. New prices seem quite similar, so perhaps just rolling back the '23 price increases is accurate.

Keep in mind that all the manufacturers are jockeying for three things: First, what works best for production. They have to produce. The niche manufacturers are not producing much yet.
Second, how to maintain cash flow as they proceed. Ford has very deep cash reserve pockets and their decision to not make ICE sedans is helping reduce costs.
Third, how to establish vehicles in respective classes, i.e. economy through luxury, so they can sell to each customer segment.

Ford is making the MME w/several options and price points to appeal to a range of customer's needs. Same with the F150 Lightning.

All that to say, the next decade or so of EV production and sales will sort out a lot of companies based on these three factors.

I still REALLY like my MME for quality, performance, features and price.
All the best.

How did your dealer address the price protection policy of Ford? (A year after ordering, at delivery, my dealer charged me $2000 higher than the MSRP on my order sheet of 12/7/21, saying they would request refund from Ford and pay me back whenever Ford paid them. 52d days after purchase I have not seen the refund, not to mention the $155 of CA sales tax on the $2000 overcharge.)

 

[Blue highway]

I think Ford missed an opportunity at the start when they didn’t make Blue Cruise a add-on option that a customer can choose to pay for each month.

They’re doing it now with the 23 model year, but it’s something that would have allowed them to drop the Premium line. Just make the upgraded sound system an option along with the other stuff. That’s what the German’s do.

The cost of the hardware is still in the car... that is where the variable cost is. The software cost is not sensitive to whether your car has it or not.

 

[julianm]

So has anyone who took MY23 delivery after Jan 1 gotten the call?

 

[yngwenli]

There is a money printing press called the F 150. As long as Ford has that, they can afford to try and maintain a strong presence in the EV marketplace even at reduced margins, or God forbid, a loss. The number of Mach-e's produced is a pimple on a horse's ass compared to approximately 3/4 million F 150's produced year after year with incredible margins. Ford sees this price reduction as maintaining relevance in the EV marketplace, and a bit of great press, I might add.

I really hope other automakers can do this. More options/competition for Tesla is a good thing I feel and the new IRA was a boon for Tesla and hurt near all other EV makers. It'd be a bad thing for everyone if the only EV option was Tesla.

 

[SirLamerok]

They should have just cut the GTPE out. Who's seriously buying one at 70+k with the 5 second cutoff being a thing still lol

My guess is most GTPE owners don't care about the 5 second cutoff (I know I don't) there are many on this forum that are very vocal about this, but people usually post when unhappy.

 

[awp0]

Personally I agree with people who think Ford hasn't gone far enough, and really needs an ER model that qualifies for the tax credit.

If I were in the market for an EV today (like I was in July 2022), then I'd buy a Tesla. I like the MME better, but not *that* much better. In my state the difference after tax credits and rebates between a Y LR and a MME Prem AWD ER is still over $18k after these price cuts. That's crazy.

And FWIW, Consumer Reports determined that the Model Y LR range is nearly identical to the MME Prem AWD ER range in three different temperature ranges. So the 330 miles is exaggerated, but these two models make a very close comparison in features.

 

[4sallypat]

....
As somebody who placed a Day One reservation for an F-150 Lightning and spent over a year being excited to get my truck, I watched Ford's tone deaf handling of the tax credit. The US government set a cap of $80k for trucks, and yet, Ford stubbornly refused to adjust the cheapest AWD Lightning's price below $81k (and wouldn't let reservation holders order the $81k AWD XLT anyway). Ford built my truck in November but was completely uncooperative about delivering it before January 1, 2023 when the $80k cap kicked in -- even though I was willing to travel to Michigan or title it in another state to ensure 2022 delivery. Ford didn't care.
....

Was there a reason you had to get an ER truck ?

Why would Ford change their pricing so it qualifies for the tax credit ?

My '22 Lightning order was $69K (SR Lariat) and qualified for the $7500.

With this new lower MME pricing, the SR Premium AWD now makes the list for the tax credit.

 

[yngwenli]

Not sure thats why they stopped making cars, as much as it was they couldn't compete any longer with foreign brands. Think we gotta be honest here about how inefficient and low value our American car manufacturers have become over time. They all had to tuck tail and run to just large SUVs and Trucks because since the mid 60's the US has kept a 25% import tax on those vehicle types (called the Chicken Tax), which is not prevalent on other vehicles.

So between that tax rate, and that large vehicle types aren't as common overseas the legacy brands here have been protected from really competing and potentially losing like they have other segments. But on the flip side this lack of competition has given overly expensive large vehicles here, poor value, and laughable annual improvements that would make even the phone market look like its reinventing the wheel at this point. These companies have been protected to a point they lost their edge, which is why they are struggling to shake it off and compete with Tesla or soon to be a flood of China quality brands. Not to mention should they make a mistake or lose than the government has proven they'd just bail them out. Doesn't exactly build strong character.

You're also leaving out that both GM/Ford are big union shops. Toyota has had production in the US for a long time as well as other brands. When your jobs/salary/cost is higher than your competition because they aren't union, it's a big unfair/penalty I feel. Sorta like Amazon, Uber, gig economy. Another + reason Taxis died (even though they were horridly inefficient and didn't go to a lot of places).

Legacy has a lot of baggage unfortunately unless you pull a Twitter and just make bad for employees calls, it's hard to turn a big slow ship.

 

[yngwenli]

I'm disappointed to see Ford following Tesla and not leading the industry. I ordered my Mach E 9/9/2021. It was delivered 5/13/2022. Ford had no problem raising my price twice before I took delivery. The price at the time it was ordered was not honored as it should have been. The practice of jerking prices continues. It does not show industry leadership nor does it show a customer orientation. One satisfaction is that my price is still lower than current and future pricing. The other is that I really do like the car.

This is more a dealership problem. I got mine in 2022 as well and got all price protections + options + model year change + all incentives.

Ford hates the dealership problem too, but we have franchise laws protecting dealers. Why they are rolling out Model E or something.


If you didn't get all your protections, your dealership screwed up and Ford's hands were sorta tied.

 

[malba2366]

Im not sure this is enough. They need to get the Premium Long Range below $55k. They can remove the charger and charge for it at the parts desk, and make bluecruise an after purchase software add on. The ineligibility for the tax credit in that trim is a big problem for Ford. At the end of the day very few will pay 12K more for a Mach E vs a Model Y with relatively the same equipment levels.

 

[timbop]

your dealership screwed up

Or more likely pocketed the difference

 

[yngwenli]

Tesla will jump through hoops to make sure buyers get the federal tax credit. Ford probably won't.

As somebody who bought a Tesla in 2018 when their tax credit was about to expire (because Tesla had sold 200,000 vehicles in the US), I saw how tuned-in Tesla was to the tax credit situation. They still are. Tesla gets it.

As somebody who placed a Day One reservation for an F-150 Lightning and spent over a year being excited to get my truck, I watched Ford's tone deaf handling of the tax credit. The US government set a cap of $80k for trucks, and yet, Ford stubbornly refused to adjust the cheapest AWD Lightning's price below $81k (and wouldn't let reservation holders order the $81k AWD XLT anyway). Ford built my truck in November but was completely uncooperative about delivering it before January 1, 2023 when the $80k cap kicked in -- even though I was willing to travel to Michigan or title it in another state to ensure 2022 delivery. Ford didn't care.

We really like our AWD Premium Mach-E, now with over 30k miles: great car. I would gladly get another one for the same price. However, there is a limited window of tax eligibility before the new battery mineral rules come out in March. Ford apparently lacks the motivation and logistics expertise to deliver a lot of under-$55k vehicles within this window. Tesla looks like a better bet.

As for the Select AWD, that would be tempting as a second Mach-E, if I could find one -- a bit less fun than the Premium with its puddle lights and glass roof. For me, the big deal isn't those but the lack of a heated steering wheel and seats. With the smaller battery and no heat pump, winter driving range is a huge concern. The Nissan LEAF I had 10 years ago showed me what a difference in efficiency it made to turn on the heated steering wheel and turn down the heat. Ford still seems to think the heated steering wheel is a luxury item, revealing an ICE mindset.

I don't think the Tesla of 2018 is the same as Tesla of 2023. Tesla almost went under during those times, now, you're just a number:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/04/tech/elon-musk-tesla-once-got-near-bankruptcy/index.html


Not saying Ford will do more than required, but everything I've seen/read/watched about Tesla now is as little interaction as possible.