While many still expect President Trump’s tariffs and the accompanying price increases to drag down new car sales across the U.S. this year, Ford’s latest data tells a different story. The company posted a strong first half, following the general market trend that saw sales increases across most major car makers.

Ford’s total U.S. deliveries climbed 6.6 percent year-over-year in the first half. However, this upward trend doesn’t extend to Ford’s electric vehicle lineup, which has seen a sharp drop in demand across several key models.

Electric Sales Lose Ground

Through the first six months of the year, Ford sold 21,785 units of the Mustang Mach-E in the States, a 2 percent decline from the 22,234 sold during the same period last year. More concerning is the model’s second-quarter performance. Between April and June, Ford delivered 10,178 Mach-Es, down 19.5 percent from the 12,645 sold in Q2 of the previous year.

Read: Ford Pulls Mustang Mach-E From Sale Over Dangerous Door Lock Flaw

The gas-powered Mustang hasn’t been immune to slowing demand either. Sales fell 14.2 percent in the first half of the year, totaling 23,551 units. However, in the second quarter, it regained some ground, with 14,174 units sold, an increase of 3.2 percent compared to the same period last year.

That uptick allowed the gas-powered Mustang to outsell its electric counterpart in Q2, even though it still trails in year-to-date totals.

Lightning and E-Transit See Steep Declines

Interest in the E-Transit has also dropped off a cliff. In the first half, sales are down 33.8 percent to 4,174, while in Q2, things were even worse. Ford sold just 418 E-Transits during Q2, down 87.7 percent from the year prior. Sales of the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning are also down, with 13,029 units sold this year, a drop of 16.7 percent. Sales declined by 26.1 percent in Q2 to 5,842 units sold, compared to 7,902 last year.

In total, Ford’s electric vehicle sales dropped 31.4 percent in the second quarter and 11.8 percent through the first half of the year. The good news for the company lies with hybrids, which are moving in the opposite direction. Hybrid sales rose 23.5 percent in Q2 to 66,448 units and are up 27.4 percent year-to-date, totaling 117,521.

Lincoln Sees Steady Growth

Lincoln also posted solid gains in the first half of the year, driven by strong demand for its SUV lineup. Total brand sales rose 12.8 percent year-over-year to 55,063 units, with a particularly strong showing in the second quarter, where sales climbed 31 percent to 31,332.

The Navigator stood out with an impressive 114.9 percent jump in Q2 sales, while the Aviator, Nautilus, and Corsair also posted double-digit increases. While Lincoln’s overall volume is modest compared to the Ford brand, its steady upward trend suggests growing interest in its premium offerings.

Strong Combustion and Hybrid Growth Balances Out EV Dip

Despite the sharp drop in EV sales, Ford and its Lincoln brand powered through, selling 1,113,386 vehicles in the US during the first half, a solid 6.6 percent increase over last year. The second quarter stood out with 612,095 new Ford and Lincolns finding buyers, marking a 14.2 percent jump from the previous year’s 536,050.

Ford USA Sales

It’s not every day a Stellantis design chief gives your senior thesis a shoutout on social media, but that’s exactly what happened to John Carioti. While working on his senior project at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Carioti created a stunning Dodge muscle car that caught the eye of none other than Ralph Gilles, Stellantis’ Chief Design Officer.

Gilles, who oversees the styling for brands like Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, and Maserati, isn’t exactly a rookie when it comes to spotting standout concepts. The Stellantis exec shared Carioti’s work on Instagram, captioning the post “Once again @ccs_detroit Seniors are Fire! ##.” It’s the kind of exposure that most young designers can only dream of, and it’s safe to assume it can do wonders for Carioti’s career.

More: This Is How America’s Teens Imagine Chrysler’s Future

The [DODGE] project, which was part of an exhibition for the end of the academic year, looks like a worthy competitor to the Ford Mustang GTD,thanks to its oversized aero enhancements. It takes design cues from the Charger Daytona but features a smaller footprint, a fastback tail, and more aggressive proportions.

The front end is a showstopper. A massive chin spoiler leads the way, complemented by full-width LED headlights that flank a narrow pass-through grille. Air is directed through the grille and into a hollow vent on the hood. Given the Fratzog logos, it’s obviously designed for a fully electric powertrain. But hey, if your imagination drifts toward a supercharged Hemi V8 instead, no one’s going to judge you for it.

John Carioti / Instagram

The profile is just as striking, with muscular fenders, sharp creases on the doors, and large alloy wheels. At the back, the design doesn’t disappoint. The LED bar under the active rear spoiler adds an extra layer of visual drama, and the rear deck does away with the windscreen, following the same trend popularized by brands like Polestar and Avatr. Carioti has also presented a version with a fixed rear wing, which perfectly complements the rear diffuser.

More: Forget The C9, This Corvette Concept Reclaims Retro Glory

While Dodge is struggling to sell the electric Charger Daytona and is leaning heavily on the upcoming ICE-powered Charger SixPack, Carioti’s design offers a glimpse into what the future of muscle cars could look like. Sure, the public might not be fully ready for electric muscle cars just yet, but that’s no reason to disregard his vision.

As with most senior thesis projects, the [DODGE] is purely a design exercise with no plans for production. However, it’s a concept that could easily be adapted to house a Hemi V8, tapping into the more traditional, hardcore muscle car fanbase.

Carioti expressed his gratitude to Gilles for the shoutout, and we sincerely hope this marks the beginning of a successful career. With talent like his, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him helping to shape the future of muscle cars (well, yes, and SUVs, it goes with the territory these days…) at a Stellantis design studio.

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