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Gas Mustang Sales Crash 32% In Q1 But Mach-E And Bronco Are Killing It

  • Ford registration data for Q1 shows Mustang Mach-E sales grew 21 percent.
  • Sales of gas-powered Mustangs sank by almost 32 percent in the same period.
  • The Bronco, Ranger and F-series were winners; Maverick and Explorer lost out.

Remember the outcry from enthusiasts when Ford unveiled the Mach-E in November 2019? They were worried Ford wanted to replace the iconic pony car with an EV but the automaker assured them that wasn’t going to happen. Five and half years later, however, fresh data from Ford shows it’s now the Mach-E that’s the sales winner and the gas-powered car that’s the niche proposition. Are we looking at the end of the road for the ‘real’ Mustang?

Ford’s registration figures reveal Mach-E sales grew 21 percent in Q1 2025 versus Q1 2024, the total number of deliveries jumping from 9,589 to 11,607, no doubt helped by incentives and the threat of federal tax credits going away. Still, that’s a healthy gain. While that was happening sales of the classic Mustang slid by 31.6 percent, dropping from 13,707 to 9,377. That means the Mustang EV is now more popular than the gas car, and by a wide margin.

Related: Ford Mach-E Sales 62% Up This Year, Mustang Keeps Losing To Itself

So modern electric vehicles good, retro-style gas cars bad, right? It’s not quite that simple, because sales of Ford’s F-150 Lightning EV dropped 7.2 percent in Q1 to 7,187 units, and Bronco registrations blew up by 35.4 percent to 32,595 units. The Bronco is now almost as popular as the more affordable Bronco Sport (33,363; up 5.7 percent) and Escape (37,357; up 2.1 percent).

Ford’s (combustion) F-series trucks also increased their sales by a whopping 24.5 percent to 190,389, helping Ford truck deliveries boom by 15 percent. But that wasn’t enough to prevent total sales of Ford-branded vehicles dropping 1.2 percent to 477,560 in the first quarter. Lincoln sales, by the way, dropped 4.7 percent to 23,731.

It’s said that the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and again and hoping for a different result. And it’s looking like Ford’s new-for-’24 Mustang didn’t really offer anything meaningfully new to help keep interest high. Sure, the $325k GTD is entering new territory, but the regular models didn’t.

 Gas Mustang Sales Crash 32% In Q1 But Mach-E And Bronco Are Killing It
Should Ford have been more creative with the new 2024 Mustang?

Which isn’t to say they’re bad cars. We just drove a Mustang GT and found it great fun. But the sales figures prove buyers are looking elsewhere for their kicks at a time when the Mustang has almost no direct opposition, its Dodge (ICE) and Chevy rivals having both been axed.

What do you think is the answer to Ford’s Mustang sales crisis? Is it more power for the base cars, more frugal engines, a four-door coupe or maybe a lifted crossover body? Or should Ford have retired the Mustang at its 50th birthday and focused exclusively on improving the Mach-E and extending its family?

Ford sales Q1 2024 vs Q1 2025
2025 Q12024 Q1Diff. %
SALES BY PROPULSION
Total Electrified Vehicles73,62358,64425.5
Electric Vehicles22,55020,22311.5
Hybrid Vehicles51,07338,42132.9
Internal Combustion427,668449,439-4.8
Total vehicles501,291508,083-1.3
SALES BY TYPE
SUVs201,527241,891-16.7
Trucks290,387252,48515.0
Cars9,37713,707-31.6
Total vehicles501,291508,083-1.3
FORD BRAND
Bronco Sport33,36331,5655.7
Escape37,35736,5952.1
Bronco32,59524,06635.4
Mustang Mach-E11,6079,58921.0
Edge2,07835,157-94.1
Explorer47,31458,465-19.1
Expedition13,48221,560-37.5
Ford SUVs177,796216,997-18.1
F-Series190,389152,94324.5
Memo: F-150 Lightning (electric)7,1877,743-7.2
Ranger14,9131,918677.5
Maverick38,01539,061-2.7
E-Series9,67910,440-7.3
Transit34,58039,890-13.3
Memo: E-Transit3,7562,89129.9
Transit Connect04,965-100.0
Heavy Trucks2,8113,268-14.0
Ford Trucks290,387252,48515.0
Mustang9,37713,707-31.6
Ford Cars9,37713,707-31.6
Ford Brand477,560483,189-1.2
LINCOLN BRAND
Corsair6,2406,286-0.7
Nautilus8,6649,231-6.1
Aviator4,7696,250-23.7
Navigator4,0583,12729.8
Lincoln SUVs23,73124,894-4,7
Lincoln Brand23,73124,894-4.7
Data: Ford Motor Company
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Real Or Staged? Tesla Cybertruck Yanks Stuck Ford F-150 From Snow

  • With a simple tug, the Tesla saved this Ford F-150 from an area of deep snow.
  • Huge amounts of horsepower and torque help the EV in situations like this.

While the Tesla Cybertruck seems to be a regular target for ridicule, one example was recently able to tow out a Ford F-150 that got stuck in the snow somewhere in Canada. Although there’s a chance that the whole thing was staged, the clip does show that with a good set of rubber, the truck can put all of its electric power to good use.

Watch: Cybertruck Stuck On Ping Pong Mode In Flowing River

These videos, shared on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum, were filmed by a group of friends who were out enjoying some snow-filled fun in both the Tesla and a Ford F-150. For reasons that are still unclear, the driver of the F-150 seemed to intentionally reverse into a snowbank just off the side of the road—promptly getting stuck, of course. Classic move.

Now, we could all roll our eyes and assume this whole thing was set up—perhaps the F-150 was driven into the snow just for the Tesla to save the day. But regardless of the setup, the video shows one thing: the Cybertruck can actually get things done when it’s not stuck itself.

Driving on snow can be difficult for any road-going vehicle, but this Cybertruck appears to have been aided by the fact that it rocks a set of Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires, providing it with better traction than the standard rubber. We’re not sure if it’s a dual-motor AWD version or a tri-motor Cyberbeast, but it apparently had more than enough power to pull out the Ford with ease.

Watch: The Cybertruck Might Be Defeated By Sand, But It Can Rock Crawl

Despite the occasional viral mishap, the Cybertruck’s electric motors and advanced electronics can be helpful in certain off-roading situations. For example, the Tesla has no trouble storming through some of the most difficult and famous rock-crawling areas in the United States, including ‘Hell’s Revenge’ and the ‘Hot Tub’ in Moab, Utah.  

Ford F-150 Lightning OTA Update Shaves 5-6 Minutes Off Fast Charging Times

  • The update boosts charging speeds for both the 98 kWh and 131 kWh versions of the EV.
  • Before the update, models with the 98 kWh pack could charge from 15-80% in 32 minutes.
  • The over-the-air software changes also improve the electronic parking brake system.

Last month, Ford began rolling out an over-the-air software update to F-150 Lightning owners across the United States. While the update introduces only a few changes, one of the most notable is an improvement in DC fast charging times, something that’s bound to be welcomed by owners across the country.

Before the update, F-150 Lightning models with the standard 98 kWh battery could theoretically charge from 15-80% in about 32 minutes, while the larger 131 kWh pack took around 38 minutes for the same. Ford’s release notes for the OTA update don’t give specifics on the exact improvements, only mentioning that the “charging rate at DC fast chargers” has been increased. Thankfully, an owner has given us a clearer picture of just how much faster it charges.

Read: Ford’s Experiment In EV Distribution Hubs Is Over

The owner behind the YouTube channel State of Charge has a 2022 Ford F-150 Lighting Lariat with the 131 kWh Extended Range battery. Originally, it typically took him 44-45 minutes to charge from 10-80%. After the latest software update, the F-150 Lightning immediately pulled 500 Amps when connected to the EVgo fast charger, charging at 180 kW.

The truck now charges from 10-80% in 39 minutes and 43 seconds, shaving off 4-6 minutes compared to before. While it’s not a massive time savings, every bit counts and will certainly make charging more convenient for owners.

More Than Just Speed: Some Bug Fixes

Along with the charging improvements, Ford has also addressed a few pesky bugs. They’ve managed to eliminate some annoying false warnings on the instrument panel. Additionally, the software for the electronic parking brake has been tweaked for “more consistent performance.” While that might sound like a minor fix, let’s face it—anything that works better in an electric vehicle is a win, even if it’s just the parking brake.

Carscoops has reached out to Ford regarding the software update, seeking additional information, and will update this post when we hear back.

 Ford F-150 Lightning OTA Update Shaves 5-6 Minutes Off Fast Charging Times
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