People visit Ford’s all-electric SUV Mustang Mach-E at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, the United States, Nov. 22, 2019.
Xinhua via Getty Images
DETROIT — Ford Motor is increasing production and cutting prices of its electric Mustang Mach-E crossover, weeks after industry leader Tesla announced similar plans for its EVs.
The Detroit automaker said Monday it will lower pricing of the Mach-E, which is comparable to Tesla’s Model Y, by an average of about $4,500, depending on the model. The reductions range from $600 to $5,900, compared with Tesla’s price cuts of up to $13,000 on its Model Y earlier in January.
Wall Street analysts and investors largely applauded Tesla’s price reductions as a way to drum up demand and increase sales, despite concerns the move would erode some profits. Analysts expected Tesla’s cuts to put pressure on other automakers to cut their own prices.
In Ford’s case, the price cuts will mean not all Mach-E models, based on the trim, will be profitable on a per-unit basis, according to Marin Gjaja, chief customer officer of Ford’s electric vehicle business. He said Mach-E production is expected to increase from 78,000 vehicles to 130,000 units annually.
“We are responding to changes in the marketplace,” Gjaja said during a media briefing, referencing new federal EV incentives and Tesla’s price cuts. “As we look and want to stay competitive in the marketplace, we’re having to respond.”
Ford expects to offset some of the profit shrink with cost improvements thanks to the additional production as well as a reduction in some commodity costs, according to Gjaja. The Mach-E’s starting price will now range from about $46,000 to $64,000. Tesla’s Model Y starts at about $53,500 to $57,000, without any options.
The Mach-E led Ford to become the second-bestselling automaker of EVs last year in the U.S., albeit trailing Tesla by a wide margin. Ford sold more than 65,000 EVs in the U.S. last year. Motor Intelligence estimates Tesla, which does…
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