Ford Mustang Mach-E Sales Revealed As 4,500 Delayed Cars Get A Charging Treat

Ford has sold almost 4,000 Mustang Mach-E so far this year, the automaker said today, as some buyers of the electric crossover found they'd been given an unexpected extra free charging treat. Sales for the newest Mustang – and the most controversial – hit 3,739 cars in February 2021, the first full month of availability.

Counting the partial availability in January, it takes the total sales for the EV to 3,977. Currently Ford is shipping Mustang Mach-E units to its earliest reservation-holders, who have been waiting since the end of 2019 since first registering for a spot in the production schedule.

Now, it's fair to say that in the grand scheme of Ford's production, the Mustang Mach-E is still a minority. During February 2021, for example, the automaker sold 5,653 Mustang coupes and convertibles. Compared to Ford's SUVs and trucks, meanwhile, the disparity is even more striking: almost 12k Escape SUVs were sold in the same month, and well over 64k F-Series pickups.

All the same. there are some electrified highlights in there nonetheless. After all, with the Mustang Mach-E, Ford F-150 PowerBoostHybrid, and the hybrid versions of the Escape and Explorer put together, Ford says that its electrified sales were up more than 56-percent year on year. Mind you, that still only amounts to 9,267 vehicles sold in the month, a fraction of non-electrified demand.

Just because sales may not be sky-high, of course, doesn't mean that demand isn't there. Part of the bottleneck appears to be production, with some Mustang Mach-E buyers discovering that extra checks have delayed their vehicle deliveries.

Emails sent to those customers, shared on the MachEForum, have warned them of the timing changes, and how Ford will be making it up to them. "We continue to build and ship vehicles every day," the email, signed by Andrew Frick, VP of Sales for Ford in the US and Canada, explains, "but we're doing so with a meticulous attention to detail and dedication to quality. Your vehicle timing was impacted by one of these quality checks."

To salve the frustration, Ford is offering those impacted by the delays an extra 250 kWh of Electrify America charging. The automaker already includes 250 kWh of DC fast charging for every Mustang Mach-E buyer in the US, managed through the FordPass Charging Network app. When it announced that offer back in mid-2020, Ford said 250 kWh would be enough for more than five full charges of the standard-range car, or ore than three for the extended-range version with its larger battery.

Bundled credits will be valid for two years, and the estimates are based on a charge going from 10- to 80-percent. Many EVs are configured to pause charging at that point, as regularly taking the battery to 100-percent can hasten its usable life.

Ford said back in January 2021 that "hundreds" of Mustang Mach-E cars had been impacted by the quality check delays. In a statement to SlashGear today, Emma Bergg, Global EV Communications Manager for Ford Motor Company, confirmed that around 4,500 cars are affected:

"Quality is a top priority. Delivery timing of approximately 4,500 Mustang Mach-Es is being extended as part of our commitment to deliver a quality vehicle to customers. We know customers are eager to get into their Mach-E and we are providing an additional 250 kilowatt-hours of free charging on the FordPass Charging Network for this delivery delay. In addition, Ford will cover the first month's payment for approximately 250 customers experiencing extended delays receiving their Mustang Mach-E."

Update: In a revised statement, Ford not only confirmed the charging bonus but that it would be providing $1,000 to 150 customers who have experienced more than one delay in their Mustang Mach-E order:

"Quality is a top priority. For Mustang Mach-E customers who have experienced delays receiving their vehicles, we are providing an additional 250 kilowatt-hours of complimentary charging on the FordPass Charging Network. This applies to approximately 4,500 customers, including about 1,500 of whom have already received their Mach-E. In addition, Ford will provide $1,000 toward the purchase of a Mustang Mach-E for approximately 150 customers who have experienced more than one delay due to quality checks."

Ford has not officially shared the number of preorders it received for the EV, having officially begun taking orders for the electric crossover in May 2020.