Half Of All Ford Dealers Won't Sell EVs Next Year

Half Of All Ford Dealers Won't Sell EVs Next Year

Just over 50% of Ford dealers nationwide have committed to selling EVs in 2024.

Ford has admitted that around 1,550 dealerships – representing half the Ford dealers in the country – have decided not to sell any electric vehicles in 2024.

Unlike Buick dealers who were told to sells EVs or die, with almost half choosing to go out of business, Ford dealers who have chosen not to invest in the infrastructure needed to sell and service EVs such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E will continue to sell ICE and hybrid vehicles.

“EV adoption rates vary across the country and we believe our dealers know their market best,” Ford spokesman Marty Gunsberg told the Detroit Free Press. “As Ford dealers have completed their own local market assessments, enrollments for 2024 are just over 50% of the network, placing 86% of the population within 20 miles of a Ford dealership that can sell and service a Ford EV.”

The majority of the car buying population will still be a relatively short drive away from an electric Ford sitting on a dealership floor, however Ford has yet to confirm specifics in regards to dealer locations. California and other green-oriented states, will doubtless have the lion share of dealers moving forward with EV investment, while other states, such as the Dakotas, have yet to fully commit.

The reality is that electric vehicles remain relatively expensive, while hybrids remain an attractive proposition. Dealers are naturally wary of having to invest the $1 million or so needed to install DC fast-chargers and train staff as part of the Blue Oval’s certification programs when sales of the F-150 Lightning have tanked in recent months.

As a result of this sudden and drastic decline in F-150 Lightning sales, Ford has slashed production output for next year in half, with 1,600 vehicles a week now slated for production from January 2024, down from an estimated 3,200 units.

According to a recent survey, Ford dealers no longer trust the brand and believe that its “EV/future retailing strategy” will make them less profitable. Almost half of the dealers surveyed believe that the change to the dealership model will negatively impact their value over the next 12 months.