In a major move to enhance its electric vehicle (EV) offerings, Ford has substantially increased its stock of Mustang Mach-E vehicles. The automaker signed a groundbreaking deal with Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, granting its customers access to Tesla’s extensive network of charging stations. This groundbreaking collaboration was reported by S&P Global Mobility.
Ford made the announcement in May, revealing that its customers would soon have access to over 12,000 Tesla Superchargers, starting from the following spring. In addition, Ford pledged to incorporate Tesla’s unique charging technology into its own lineup of EVs.
According to an analysis by S&P Global Mobility published this week, Ford has tripled its advertised inventory of the Mach-E electric SUV over the past few weeks. The total number of available vehicles has reached an impressive 11,000 units.
S&P Global Mobility further notes that the Mach-E has been selling fewer than 3,000 units per month throughout this year. Since its launch in late 2020, the vehicle has only achieved sales of 5,000 units on a single occasion. Insider reached out to a Ford spokesperson for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
This significant increase in inventory suggests that Ford is optimistic about the advantages it will gain from providing its customers with access to Tesla’s renowned charging network. S&P Global Mobility suggests that Ford may be strategically maximizing the marketing impact of its shared-charger arrangement with Tesla, indicating the company’s strong entry into the EV sales and market competition.
It is important to note that Ford had already planned to ramp up Mach-E production significantly this year to reduce customer wait times and lower pricing.
Following Ford’s pledge, other automakers and charging companies have pledged to follow suit. General Motors (GM) swiftly responded with its own version of the partnership, as did Rivian. Furthermore, several charging providers have committed to adopting Tesla’s North American Charging Standard port.
Industry experts believe that these collaborations present a substantial monetization opportunity for Tesla. However, automakers involved in these partnerships, including Ford, could greatly benefit as well.
Public EV charging infrastructure has been a point of concern, often acting as a barrier to widespread electric vehicle adoption. Issues such as charging reliability, pricing challenges, and limited availability have hindered progress in this area. Nonetheless, Tesla’s extensive charging network has proven to be highly advantageous for the company. Elon Musk intends to continue expanding this network to make it more accessible to non-Tesla owners.
Encouraging other automakers to adopt Tesla’s charging technology offers a straightforward path to addressing these challenges and promoting greater adoption of EVs on a larger scale.
