The Ford dealer EV certification program known as Model e Certified was designed to help the automaker better compete with its EV-only rivals, which sell those types of vehicles online and with fixed pricing. However, the program was met by significant backlash from the start, largely because of the big financial investments required of Ford dealers that wished to participate, as well as questions regarding its legality in general. As a result of this and shifting consumer demand, the Ford dealer EV certification program has now been scrapped altogether.
The Detroit News is reporting that Ford has ditched its plans for this program entirely, which comes after meetings between Ford CEO Jim Farley, CFO John Lawler, and The Blue Oval’s dealer council. Recently, dealers were told to halt any investments they were making pertaining to this program, and even before that happened, several changes were taking place as the automaker worked to satisfy concerns raised by its dealer network.
As Ford Authority reported last month, Lisa Drake, Ford’s vice president of EV programs and energy supply chain, previously hinted that the automaker may wind up scrapping the Model e Certified program altogether, and now, it has done precisely that. Starting July 1st, all U.S.-based Ford dealerships will be able to sell EVs, doubling the current number to 2,800. However, dealers that haven’t already done so will need to install two Level 2 charging stations by March 31st, 2025, and have their employees participate in EV training. These moves, according to Marin Gjaja, COO of Ford Model e, are expected to help the automaker boost its EV sales in general.
“We’re getting into the tough innings,” Gjaja said. “We’re getting into the early majority customer who isn’t in it just for technology and willing to pay a premium. They want a practical, usable vehicle. They have questions they need to really understand the value for them. And it’s just a very different sale. … We need Ford and our dealers pulling together to help bring the market along.”
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Comments
Attempting to force-sell customers something that they adamantly don’t want, is a very different sale indeed.
Well, Ford. Was it worth all the damage you caused with your dealerships?
Well that did last long.. 😆
You are right. Customers don’t want tech and Ford doesn’t deliver it. One year and counting waiting on my BC 1.2,1.3,1.4 updates that were promised last year.