Update on Mach-E launch progress from engineering friends in Mexico

[ChasingCoral]

Everyone keeps telling us to "be patient", and I think for the most part we're doing the best we can. However, there is such a thing of patience wearing thin. Ford isn't helping matters by not sharing information publicly. While we appreciate the information from the insiders here, it doesn't replace official updates. In the end though, there's nothing we can do about it. Ford knows we're gonna buy these cars anyway. We've been waiting over a year, what's another month or so?

I agree completely but am trying to keep as positive as possible. COVID negativity is bad enough. Let's please keep Mach E talk positive!

Hi fellow and future inhabitants of the Mach-E delivery waiting room,

After reading through this thread, I've seen A LOT of speculation. Is this possible...? They've already begun shipping the cars but haven't yet updated the information that is public???‍ It might be wishful thinking, but my dealer (who specializes in ordering vehicles at Ford) has run into a bunch of things during this process that he's not experienced before.

Premium MME, SR, RWD. Production dat 12.5.

Information from multiple insiders says no customer units or FCTP have left Cuatitlán. The only "customers" who have received Mach Es are Ford execs that went via truck before OKTB was issued.

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[agoldman]

Looks like the trucks are making it to customers now though.

It sounds like the 2021 F-150 is also having delay issues.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...s-detroit-metro-airport-stockpile/3901656001/

Yes that is interesting and seems to mimic the Mach E release in many ways, aside from the Detroit lot stockpiling. Seems to be just as simple as wanting to get it right, even if nothing major. Gotta respect that.

 

[trutolife27]

Nothing has shipped, and units are still being produced. OKTB was originally Nov 23rd and shipping to start the 24th with 26th to 30th down for holiday. Not even a month late.

The mache is coming and shipping soon. All your companies around the world are doing the best they can to get products to the consumers.

 

[Jimrpa]

I scheduled the image collection window to try and capture MY car and the rest of you were just going to be along for the ride (pun intended). Unfortunately, my build got pushed into January, so I guess I'm left out in the cold, too.

And, yes, I will try and make the full image available for the forum to download in a dedicated thread.

Any chance you can get SAR imagery so we can get an idea of production in the plant?

 

[Jimrpa]

I'm just trying to understand the logic of keeping 4000 vehicles in Mexico as opposed to say, moving 2500 of these into secure parking in the Central US. The biggest bottleneck/logistics cost is getting them out of Mexico. The quality gating mechanism can be performed in the US.

Now if the initial 4000-5000 batch was entirely allocated to the Southwest/West Coast, I could see why moving them all at once would make sense.

But we know based on FE self reported orders on this forum/published ETAs that the orders are promising delivery all over the US, so the initial batch can't be soaked up entirely by the sun belt.

What am I missing here?

Something tells me the quality gating mechanism CAN’T be performed in the US. The trained people are in the factory in MX, and all the tooling and parts to address any quality issues are at the factory in MX. sending the cars to a big empty Prarie in Kansas would probably be a mistake if they discovered a problem necessitating something to be done with the propulsion units before sale. Or if the Koi pond divider didn’t meet EU specs ?

 

[trutolife27]

Ford stockpiling thousands of new F-150 pickups near Metro Airport
Phoebe Wall Howard
Detroit Free Press

Ford is conducting final quality checks on thousands of early-production F-150 pickups that are stockpiled in lots around Metro Airport as dealers clamor for deliveries of America’s best-selling truck.
Ford factory employees at the Dearborn Truck Plant have been working to meet an insatiable demand for the 2021 F-150. That meant Ford had to build trucks while the prototypes were still being driven as test models.
Those trucks from the early build make up the stockpile of vehicles that are plain to see parked near the airport lately, and they are undergoing a final assessment, according to Ford. New F-150s coming out of the factory in recent weeks have been loaded directly with no delay onto truck haulers and trains to go to dealerships around the country, Ford said.

"Trucks are on their way to dealers now and in customer hands," Ford spokesman Said Deep told the Free Press on Tuesday. "We do have this other batch of 150s that were built before those shipments began and they're going through a final quality check before they're released."
Deep said quality reviews may indicate the need for things like software updates or parts adjustments, but he didn't provide detail on these trucks.
Customers who have already taken delivery of the new pickups have raved about them while dealers' lists of interested potential buyers grow.
CEO Jim Farley, who assumed leadership of the company Oct. 1, has assured Wall Street analysts that quality control is his top priority as is reducing overall warranty costs for the company.

Automakers often store vehicles temporarily after building them, but this latest stockpile of the first redesign since 2015 has attracted attention from readers who see what appears to be thousands of them.
A source close to the situation who was not authorized to discuss the matter told the Free Press in recent days the stockpile in lots around the airport was larger than usual, possibly 6,000 or 7,000 trucks.
Ford declined to provide specific numbers, acknowledging "a few thousand." Deep did say there's a quality testing site where trucks are being driven and reviewed prior to shipping, an extra step following factory inspection.
"Ford is full-throttle building and shipping new F-150s while simultaneously giving (this) batch of trucks one more quality inspection," he said.

The company built up the supply while first-run vehicles were being tested, refined and perfected.
Ford is mindful of the manufacturing issues it had in 2019 with the Ford Explorer launch and the company is committed to releasing its most valuable product without flaws.
More:Demand for 2021 F-150 exceeds supply, buyers want 'steak in a hamburger world'
More:Ford reveals new F-150 Tremor series in plan to dominate off-road action

More:UAW issues 'very unusual' memo for 2021 Ford F-150 production
This storage situation is not related to supply chain issues like those that have delayed delivery of the 2021 Ford Bronco, Deep said.
"We began shipping the new F-150 to dealers last month and are building as many trucks as we can to meet demand," Deep said.
"These were trucks built before dealer shipments started," he said. "As part of our commitment to delivering high-quality vehicles, we are now in the process of conducting final quality inspections on those units to ensure all of them meet the quality expectations of our customers."

Industry analysts responded to news of the F-150 hold with praise.
"Automakers always encounter issues during launch periods that require verification or fixing before delivering the vehicle to the customers," said Jeoff Burris, founder of Plymouth-based Advanced Purchasing Dynamics, a supply chain consultant to auto suppliers primarily in North America. He worked at Ford for 13 years.
"They can either complete these actions themselves or ship to dealers who perform them," he said. "There is considerable financial pressure to ship to dealers so that the automaker can record sales and profits. However, doing so increases the likelihood of customers experiencing issues. With an F-150 selling upwards of $70,000, kudos to Ford for putting the customer first and resisting the pressure to ship potential issues."

More:Ford just revealed 2021 F-150: Why this new model is different
More:New F-150 design consumed his life — and inspired his house
More:2021 Ford Bronco Sport buyers see unexpected stardom; 'I just had no idea'
In 2019, Ford sold 896,526 F-Series in the U.S. They have been the best-selling trucks for more than 40 years.
Market analyst Jon Gabrielsen, who advises automakers and auto suppliers, said Ford would never risk its crown jewel.
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"So it is absolutely critical that its legacy of Built Ford Tough high quality and reliability be maintained no matter what the cost or delay," he said. "So it is a true testament to the new Ford under Farley that rather than rushing these preproduction vehicles to dealers and then customers, that they have segregated them and are making the needed tweaks no matter how minor they may be."

Dearborn Truck began building preproduction F-150 prototypes Sept. 21. The Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri, started in late October.

 

[MailGuy]

Well now we know where all the rail cars are.

 

[JellyBelly]

Nothing has shipped, and units are still being produced. OKTB was originally Nov 23rd and shipping to start the 24th with 26th to 30th down for holiday. Not even a month late.

The mache is coming and shipping soon. All your companies around the world are doing the best they can to get products to the consumers.

That's good to know. I do believe Ford is doing everything it can to get these MMEs to customers. There is no value to Ford to be in the current situation. Lots of pressure on lot of people there for sure. Whether I want to patient or not, I dont control the situation. Working on controlling how I feel though.

 

[ChasingCoral]

For a non-sarcastic answer, someone mapped it out and there aren't enough electric car chargers for you to even make it out of Mexico so even if they somehow allowed this (which they don't) you would never be able to make it home. Add in the dangers of the drive and all the dealerships contracts and stuff it just won't be possible

I looked it up and ABRP said you can't get there from here. However, it turns out ABRP doesn't have Mexican chargers. Someone else posted here somewhere a route that included Mexican chargers so charging is possible. Drug dealers, cartels, militias, and bureaucracy are another matter.

 

[JCHLi]

Drug dealers, cartels, militias, and bureaucracy are another matter.

Hey, Texas has some redeeming qualities too, I'm sure.

(If anyone is offended feel free to insert a different state name instead of Texas such that you find it funny).

 

[ChasingCoral]

Hey, Texas has some redeeming qualities too, I'm sure.

(If anyone is offended feel free to insert a different state name instead of Texas such that you find it funny).

True, there's lots of wind power!

 

[JellyBelly]

I looked it up and ABRP said you can't get there from here. However, it turns out ABRP doesn't have Mexican chargers. Someone else posted here somewhere a route that included Mexican chargers so charging is possible. Drug dealers, cartels, militias, and bureaucracy are another matter.

Some of these issues can be mitigated if a caravan of forum members went to the plant and drove back - strength in numbers, protection and safety. Problem is Ford will not just give you the vehicle. And you cant get it across the border without proper documentation.

 

[jhalkias]

I looked it up and ABRP said you can't get there from here. However, it turns out ABRP doesn't have Mexican chargers. Someone else posted here somewhere a route that included Mexican chargers so charging is possible. Drug dealers, cartels, militias, and bureaucracy are another matter.

I am hearing a Warren Zevon song . . . Send lawyers, guns, and money ?

 

[Daniel M]

Some of these issues can be mitigated if a caravan of forum members went to the plant and drove back - strength in numbers, protection and safety. Problem is Ford will not just give you the vehicle. And you cant get it across the border without proper documentation.

The MME gang v the cartel, that might not end well for the amateur group. ?

 

[SteveUk]

Send in Rambo to do the job.

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