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Ford’s efforts to push its US dealers toward electric vehicles appear to be working. According to recent reports, about two-thirds of Ford’s dealer network in the United States has opted into the company’s new EV certification program, which regulates how dealers handle sales of electric vehicles. car
While speaking at the Automotive News World Congress on Monday, Ford CEO Jim Farley said that 1,920 Ford dealers have signed up for the Model e program for 2024-2026. The majority of those who signed up—1,659 dealers—opted for the program’s highest level, called “Certified Elite,” which provides complete sales and servicing capabilities for electric cars.
A total of 261 Ford dealers in the US have also chosen to become “Certified” for the Model e program. Under the “Certified” tier, dealers will have complete service capabilities for electric vehicles for a lower investment, but this is limited to the number of EVs they can sell. As mentioned by The Detroit NewsFord’s franchised dealer network in the US consists of about 3,000 dealers, so those who didn’t sign up this time will have another chance to do so in 2025.
In his speech, Farley said that unlike younger EV makers like Tesla and Rivian, which have opted not to use a dealer system, Ford will use a tried and tested method to sell its electric vehicles. “We bet on the franchise system. Now the largest luxury brand in the United States is not. And we’re betting on the dealer council process,” Farley said.
Overall, Farley is optimistic about Ford’s chances in the EV market. Farley noted that while the veteran automaker is the number two electric car maker in the United States, most of its EV customers are new to the company. “Right now, we are the No. 2 in the US in EV, and 70+% of customers are new to us. We don’t focus too much on numbers. It’s more like, do we have coverage in Orange County? Do we have coverage in the right parts, so people don’t go too far?” Farley said.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives appreciated Farley’s update. The Wall Street analyst also noted that the response from Ford’s dealership network in the United States bodes well for the automaker’s EV plans. “It’s a great sign for Ford to have tremendous dealer buy-in on the EV strategy. It’s a big vote of confidence from the dealer network for Farley & Co. in EVs,” Ives said.
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