Both the Ford F-150 Lightning and Ford Mustang Mach-E debuted to tremendous demand and short supply, which meant that many buyers were paying more than MSRP for the privilege of being an early EV adopter. Things have changed significantly since then, and today, it’s easy to find good finance and lease deals on both of those models, even as sales continue to rise in a major way. However, it seems as if The Blue Oval is still working to increase its EV market share in a rather unique way, too.
According to an internal Ford email recently seen by Reuters, the automaker recently made some changes to its leasing program for current and past managers, one that requires them to order either a Ford F-150 Lightning or Ford Mustang Mach-E if they wish to take advantage of the supplemental vehicle lease program. This is the first time FoMoCo has required these types of employees to lease an EV as part of the program, too. Any manager that’s currently leasing something other than an F-150 Lightning or Mustang Mach-E must return their vehicle or purchase it by May 15th, 2025.
“By encouraging our employees to drive an electric vehicle through the optional program, they can learn firsthand how easy it is and better share their experiences with friends and family – a key way to increase familiarity with new technology,” a Ford spokesperson explained. It’s worth noting that Ford currently employs thousands of managers that are eligible for the supplemental lease program, and also, that those leases count toward the automaker’s sales.
In recent months, FoMoCo has launched a bevy of incentives for the Ford F-150 Lightning and Ford Mustang Mach-E, all aimed at helping the automaker improve its EV market share. At the moment, the EV pickup is actually cheaper to lease than its gas counterpart – which is also true of the Mach-E, not to mention the fact that it’s less expensive to lease than the Ford Maverick Hybrid – and both are eligible for zero percent financing, too.
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Comments
Translation: Sales of EVs suck so bad we need to do everything we can to move these piles of garbage off the factory floor.
Ford sales staff in particular need to be more familiar with the EVs. I wonder if dealerships have EVs that they allow (require) their sales staff to use for free so they can become more familiar with them.
Perhaps as a heavily subsidized corporate lease an EV makes sense, particularly as an urban commuter. A manager covering a large region or territory however may get tired of the charging challenges to do his/her job. If the Ford/Lincoln dealers they visit as part of their duties allow them to plug in and charge while conducting their business, that would certainly make it more palatable.
Start putting a decent Price on these Electricity Wasting P O S EV’s and just maybe someone will buy one….. Maybe.
Carrot didn’t work. Here comes the stick.
They should have sold them at the original price mentioned, around 45k. I ended up canceling my order, when they said it jumped to 65k.
So if a manager must lease an EV as a supplemental, I guess they will almost be required to install a battery charger in their home. I believe those cost approximately $3,000. This move could scare people away from this program.
You’re only off by an order of magnitude. They cost about $350-$600, and sometimes include a utility or tax credit as well to lower the price even more. But most EVs come with a charger when you buy them so you don’t need to buy the house charger separately. Depending on how much you drive, they cost about 2 months worth of fuel.
Addressing the article however, forcing your employees to lease an EV and no other vehicles are allowed, in order to artificially boost your sales sounds like something Ford is being strong handed into doing by government regulations stating they must sell a certain percentage of EVs. They see this as one of the only ways to boost their sales numbers. It’s scummy and against free market values. If people want an EV, let them buy one, but Don’t Force it…
Mandates are wrong. But managers should only lease what they want through the dealer like regular customers do .. they are insulated with special service etc. also, since the ford website does not work anymore and I cannot access the A/Z plan page To generate a PIN( the page is blank for over a week) where can I access the A plan system now ??
I will never own an EV even if the US Government mandated EVs only.
Sounds like a round of Ammonia, Hydrogen and Water vehicles for the “oldman” 😆🤷♂️
Which will most likely be better than gas and EV FYI, do some homework, it’s coming.
What a dumb ass idea. If I were a Ford manager and told I HAVE to lease something weather I like it or if it meets my needs or not, I would go to a competitor and lease one of their vehicles.
Don’t get triggered…tell us on the doll where the electric truck touched you….
Who said it had anything to do with EVs. I would feel the same if Ford required their managers to drive any car the employee could not select.
Hopefully some of this EV BS gets knocked back after what the Supreme Court just did with the Chevron doctrine. Some of the ridiculous mandates and regulations set by agencies like the EPA and NHTSA stand to get neutered.
Hopefully the asinine California waiver where the state gets to set it’s own rules gets thrown out too.
Imposing is so un-American – corporations have become the problem.
LL6 and above managers are entitled to lease a car from the company directly as a perquisite. They’re not free, but if you choose wisely, they’re a really good deal versus leasing one on A-Plan.
This is an optional program. Managers are not required to lease a car in this program.
Once you’ve exceeded your lease car allotment (just one for most of us), you can usually get a “supplemental” lease, that is, a second car under the same terms. If you have a large family or kids up to 26 at college, you might want to participate.
Like the article said (“if they wish to take advantage of the supplemental vehicle lease program”), it’s this program that only allows you to lease a Mach E or Lightning. You can still choose another program car for your first, base lease.
So, no, managers are not required to lease anything at all, but if they want to lease a second vehicle, their choices this year in this optional program are a Mach E or Lightning.
This is the “incremental,” managers pick what they want for the first one, but the second one has to be an EV. Ford is not obligated to offer an incremental at all (or even the first one, for that matter), so it is what it is.
This article is misleading. I’m a salaried manager at Ford. We are not Forced to order an EV. Currently, the management lease program allows 2 vehicles per employee. The change to the program is that we are now allowed a 3rd vehicle, but that 3rd vehicle has to be an EV. Your first 2 vehicles can still be whatever you want.
Also, we are always forced to turn on our older vehicles and order a new one, so no change there.
^^^ exactly this. Funny at 1) how misleading this makes it sound and 2) the reaction from the readership