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

The EV race isn’t just heating up, it’s turning existential for legacy automakers. At the Aspen Ideas Festival last Friday, Ford CEO Jim Farley made that reality clear. If American car companies can’t keep up with China’s EV momentum, he warned, Ford’s future may be in jeopardy.

“We’re in a global competition with China, and it’s not just EVs,” he said before dropping the hammer. “If we lose this, we do not have a future Ford,” he said. This man isn’t speaking from hearsay either. He’s speaking from experience.

More: Thousands Of Chinese Cars Sank With This Ship And The Bill Keeps Climbing

His warning comes after a string of trips to China, six or seven in the past year, he says. There, he saw firsthand how fast Chinese automakers are outpacing the West. It’s the most humbling thing I have ever seen,” he explained.” Why be so blown away by a nation that can’t sell cars in the USA? It comes down to production.

Chinese EVs: High Volume, High Quality

According to Farley, not only is China making more EVs than anybody else, but their quality isn’t lacking either. “Seventy percent of all EVs in the world, electric vehicles, are made in China,” Farley said. That statement comes not long after Xiaomi launched the YU7, a $35,000 luxury SUV that allegedly has 200,000 orders already.

“They have far superior in-vehicle technology. Huawei and Xiaomi are in every car. You get in, you don’t have to pair your phone. Automatically, your whole digital life is mirrored in the car. Beyond that, their cost, the quality of their vehicles is far superior to what I see in the West,” Farley says.

So the message is clear. Farley wants to see the U.S. catch up with China as quickly as possible. Despite that, Ford is adapting its strategy to produce fewer EVs, not more. That’s because the markets Ford caters to seem more interested in hybrids right now. Business Insider points out that Ford’s shares are up by more than 9 percent so far this year.

Still, the larger question lingers: will adjusting course be enough to compete long-term in a global EV market increasingly defined by China’s dominance? Farley isn’t waiting for the answer; he’s already sounding the alarm.

Since internal combustion engines were adopted as the de facto mode of propulsion for automobiles, they became one of their most defining characteristics. Sonorous Italians, ultra-high revving Japanese, or “no replacement for displacement” Americans: those stereotypes exist simply because said engines became synonymous not just with certain models, but brands (and even countries) as a whole.

Today, we live in a world that has experienced a rapid technological advancement in a relatively short time, and cars are no exception. In fact, they have become just another commodity to the new generation of buyers who, if at least one exec is to be believed, simply don’t care what’s under the hood of their ride.

More: Ferrari Just Delayed Its Second EV Because Rich People Can’t Kick Their Combustion Habit

That executive is none other than Ford Vice Chair John Lawler, so his opinion has a certain gravity. “I don’t think that consumers really think about powertrains the way they did 30 years ago”, he said on May 28 during Bernstein’s strategic decisions conference, according to Autonews.

He is probably right. The shift to electrification has transformed the way new car buyers view their purchases, and it’s not just electric vehicles, but hybrids that have contributed to that. Blame the effort to reduce CO2 emissions if you have to, but there’s no hiding from the truth; nowadays, cars fall under the “white goods” category, and romantics be damned.

“Where [combustion engines] defined what a vehicle was – the horsepower, the displacement, the torque and everything about the vehicle – I think a lot of that is gone,” Lawler explained.

Music To Automakers’ Ears

Sure, in certain niches combustion is still king, but the vast majority of customers don’t give a damn whether their car comes with an ICE, hybrid or all-electric powertrain as long as it’s priced withing their reach and has the features and range they desire. And while petrolheads may bemoan that reality, automakers welcome it with open arms.

That’s because it opens up hitherto unavailable possibilities. Since engines are no longer a defining trait, each brand is free to choose from a much wider array of units. What’s more, it doesn’t even have to make them itself which, much to shareholders’ joy, will lower costs and increase profit – plus it can benefit the end user, who won’t have to pay the premium needed to cover the R&D each maker’s department spent in creating each engine.

Parts sharing is nothing new, and neither is engine sharing, even if carmakers don’t exactly advertise the fact that an Audi’s V10, for instance, is basically the same as a Lamborghini‘s despite the latter having a significantly higher price tag.

Some have already formed partnerships to develop and built new powertrains that will be used in a multitude of models with different badges and even sold to third parties who want to cut down on costs (ed’s note: who doesn’t?). Horse, Renault’s and Geely’s joint venture, is a good example.

“It’s a win-win business model for everybody,” Horse Powertrain CEO Matias Giannini said during the Shanghai auto show two months ago. Of course it is: everyone gets what they want, so everyone’s happy. And there’s nothing wrong with that, is there?

The China Syndrome

Another factor that plays a huge role is China. Its automakers are making inroads left, right, and center and buyers are lapping up what they have to offer. According to Lawler, the costs they incur are 30 percent lower than anyone else in the world. How can you compete with that?

More: Automakers Found A Sneaky Way To Charge You More Without Touching The Sticker

The answer is simple: you don’t. And since you can’t beat them, your best course of action is to join them. The Blue Oval’s Vice Chair claims that the Chinese have 10-11 million units of excess capacity and they’d love for foreigners to come in and fill that void.

And come they will, because they won’t say no to a 30 percent cost reduction. Especially since the well that used to be the Chinese market has now dried up and locals increasingly flock to domestic brands, much to legacy automakers’ dismay and loss of serious income.

No need to fret, fellow petrolheads. We can always hold on to our rides for as long as it’s legal to drive them on public roads; then, there’s always the track. The one thing we can’t do is hold back progress. Besides, even Henry Ford famously said “If I asked people what they wanted, they’d tell me ‘a faster horse'”, and that shows, yet again, that customers don’t create the future; visionaries do.

Whether it’ll be a better future or a dystopia is up for debate. Sadly, we probably won’t be around to find out, so it’s a moot point anyway as far as we’re concerned. Let’s burn some rubber while we still can, shall we?

Owners primed to collect their brand-new Mustang Mach-Es have been turned away by dealers after Ford issued a stop-sale notice due to the crossover’s defective door lock software, which can lead to entrapment. Existing cars will soon be hit with a recall to remedy the same issue.

It’s the Software, Not the Lock Mechanism

The problem isn’t the locks themselves, but the software that tells them how to operate. As some Mach-E owners have discovered, should the 12-volt battery run out of juice, the door locks will retain their last position, whether that’s locked or unlocked, potentially leaving a driver unable to access the car’s interior.

Also: New Lawsuit Might Force Ford To Change Mustang Mach-E Door Handles

And although most people caught on the inside of the car when the power dies would be able to operate the mechanical door release handle, not everyone can. Babies and young children strapped in child seats would be stuck, and with summer coming, that’s not just inconvenient, but downright dangerous. It reportedly already happened to at least one family.

Fix Coming Soon, But Not Over-the-Air

Ford is working on a software fix to be rolled out in Q3, which is only a few weeks away. However, until that arrives, dealers are not allowed to sell or even demonstrate new examples of the EV to prospective buyers, as multiple posters on the Mach-E forum learned this week.

When the update does become available current owners will be invited to get the same fix. Unfortunately for time-strapped drivers, it won’t be an over-air job, and will require a trip to a dealer where technicians will update both the powertrain control module and secondary on-board diagnostic control module.

But a software update is unlikely to satisfy the plaintiffs in a California class action lawsuit who argue that the automaker should have fitted the Mach-E with a traditional keyhole to allow easy access in power-off emergencies.

Instead, anyone trying to retrieve something from the inside of their electric Mustang currently has to access the battery through a special service hatch and charge the battery. Or just hurl a brick through the window, depending on how desperate they are.

According to an email that Ford sent to dealers this week, 196,911 Mustang Mach-Es are affected in the United States, which is a sizable chunk of vehicles. We reached out to Ford for a comment, and the company confirmed all the above, adding that it is “not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to this condition.”

Is It Time for a Keyhole in All Cars?

Ford says it’s working on a fix, but for now, the lack of a keyhole is making a lot of people wonder: Should modern cars have one? Sure, it might seem old-fashioned, but in an age when digital systems control almost everything in our cars, a manual backup could make a lot of sense. What do you think? Should a keyhole be mandatory in all cars? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.

The road to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak is no place for half measures. But that’s exactly what Ford is doing for the 103rd Race to the Clouds – sort of. Of course, when one’s ‘half-measure’ is a super EV with 1,421 horsepower (1059 kW), it’s probably more of a prudent move than others. The crazy bit is that even with half of the available power on board, this Pikes-Peak-bound Mustang Mach-E sounds absolutely monstrous, though, to be fair, it won’t actually be making any noise.

Read: Ford Built An Insane Mustang Mach-E Coupe, But You Can’t Buy It

We’ve known for a few weeks that the Mach-E Ford is bringing to Colorado Springs was going to be fast. The automaker confirmed the car would make 6,125 pounds (2,778 kg) of downforce, but didn’t say much about power.

Now, we know that it’ll carry the same overall package: a trio of six-phase motors (one on the front axle, two on the rear), that the SuperTruck from last year did. This year, though, the drivetrain will make 1,421 horsepower and overall weighs some 260 pounds (117 kg) less.

The Mach-E’s New Tricks

“We’re continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible with electric vehicles,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance. “This Super Mustang Mach-E demonstrator represents the next stage in our electrification journey — lighter, leaner, just as powerful, and more capable in high-altitude competition.”

What he didn’t say there is that Ford also has a quad motor version that can make 2,250 horsepower (1677 kW) , reports TheDrive. For whatever reason, it won’t be racing this year.

Still, the package headed to Pikes Peak sounds potent enough. It uses a new rocker-arm suspension setup, carbon ceramic brakes, and even more downforce than previously confirmed. That’s right, 6,125 pounds was the old number. Now, we know that it’ll actually make 6,900 pounds (3129 kg) at 150 mph. Now the question is whether or not all of that will be enough to win.

Romain Dumas: The Secret Weapon

Thankfully for Ford, having Romain Dumas at the helm won’t be a hindrance. “After last year’s incredible run with the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck and SuperVan 4.2 before it, I’m honored to be back with Ford to take on this challenge once again,” said Dumas. “This Mach-E is a different beast, and we’re excited to see what it can do on the mountain.” If anyone can win with this car, it’s gotta be Dumas.

He’s the man who currently holds the overall record, 7:57.148 in a Volkswagen ID.R concept from 2018. While VW doesn’t seem to have done much with whatever it learned that year, Ford says what it’s doing here will translate directly to production cars.

“Racing is our test bed,” added Rushbrook. “Every data point we gather on the mountain helps us build better electric vehicles for our customers — whether it’s maximizing power delivery, improving regen strategies, or managing heat in extreme elevation changes. What we learn here goes straight into future production.” How exactly that’ll translate to what you drive in a few years is up for debate.

A Four-Door Mustang? Maybe

Finally, let’s just go on record as saying that a four-door Mustang might sound like sacrilege, but if it looks anything like this, it might be good. We’ll be on the lookout for the Mach-E on America’s mountain on June 22nd. 

While EVs have generally been gaining popularity across the United States over the past couple of years, April wasn’t such a good month for them. New EV registrations fell 4.4 percent, marking the first dip after 14 consecutive months of growth. The slide was led by notable declines from several automakers, including Tesla, Ford, and Hyundai.

Read: Kia Sold Just 37 EV9s In May, But A Gas Sedan Is On Fire

According to data from S&P Global Mobility, which excludes gasoline-electric hybrid models, a total of 97,833 new EVs were registered in the US in April. This means that EVs accounted for 6.6 percent of total registrations, falling from the 7.4 percent share they had in April 2024. A number of factors could be at play here.

At the same time, overall light vehicle sales, regardless of powertrain, grew by 7.2 percent in April to approximately 1.5 million units.

Speaking to Autonews, S&P Global Mobility analyst Tom Libby, said that beyond the usual range anxiety and charging concerns, “consumers are seeing media reports that government support for EVs is on the chopping block and automaker investments in the technology are slowing, undermining confidence in a product that doesn’t yet have significant organic demand”.

“The increases in the prior months have been weak, so I think there is an ongoing trend of weakening in the EV market,” Libby told Auto News. “We’ll have to watch where it goes, but there’s a lot of influences working against EVs right now.”

The Winners And Losers

Tesla remains the largest seller of EVs in the United States. In April, 39,913 new Tesla models were registered across the country, representing a 16 percent decline from April 2024. In second place was Chevrolet with a total of 9,160 registrations. It bucked the trend with a massive 215 percent spike, increasing its share of the EV market to 9.4 percent. This was primarily thanks to the Equinox EV with 5,424 registrations, trailing only the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Ford came in third with 5,534 registrations, down 33 percent from April 2024. BMW edged out Hyundai for fourth place, logging 4,812 registrations, an 8.7 percent uptick. Hyundai fell to fifth after a 25 percent drop, totaling 4,796 units.

A number of other brands saw declines, including Rivian (down 30 percent), Mercedes (down 19 percent), and Kia (down a steep 68 percent). Cadillac and Honda posted big gains, up 104 percent and 2,359 percent respectively, while Volvo jumped 263 percent. Some smaller players, like Porsche and Fiat, also recorded substantial percentage increases, albeit from far smaller volumes.

US EV SALES APRIL 2025

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A government watchdog group in Wisconsin filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to prohibit billionaire Elon Musk from ever again offering cash payments to voters in the battleground state like he did in this spring’s hotly contested Supreme Court race.

Musk handed out $1 million checks to three Wisconsin voters, including two in person just days before the state’s April 1 Supreme Court election, in an effort to help elect conservative candidate Brad Schimel. Two weeks before the election, Musk’s political action committee, America PAC, offered $100 to voters who signed a petition in opposition to “activist judges,” or referred someone to sign it.

It was all part of more than $20 million that Musk and groups he supports spent on the race in an effort to flip majority control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. More than $100 million was spent by both sides, making it the most expensive court race in U.S. history.

Musk’s preferred candidate lost to Democratic-backed Susan Crawford by 10 percentage points. Her victory cemented the 4-3 liberal majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court until at least 2028.

Since that election, Musk announced he will spend less on political campaigns and then feuded publicly with President Donald Trump after exiting his administration.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in state court by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign says that Musk’s actions create “the risk that Wisconsin elections will become an open auction, where votes go to the preferred candidates of the highest bidders and the election outcome is determined by which candidate has a patron willing and able to pay the highest sum to Wisconsin voters.”

The lawsuit says that Musk and two groups he funds violated prohibitions on vote bribery and unauthorized lotteries and says his actions were an unlawful conspiracy and public nuisance. The lawsuit asks the court to order that Musk never offer similar payments to voters again.

A spokesperson for Musk’s America PAC did not immediately return a text message Wednesday seeking comment.

There is another Wisconsin Supreme Court election in April. In November 2026, control of the Legislature and the governor’s office, as well as the state’s eight congressional districts, will be decided.

The latest lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and a pair of voters by the liberal Wisconsin-based Law Forward and the Washington-based Democracy Defenders Fund. It was filed against Musk, his group America PAC that announced the petition and the Musk-funded group United States of America Inc. that made the payments.

The court that Crawford joins in August could ultimately hear the new lawsuit. Crawford would almost certainly be asked to recuse from the case, and if she did, the court would be left with a 3-3 split between conservative and liberal justices.

The current court, also controlled 4-3 by liberals, declined to hear a similar hastily filed lawsuit brought by Wisconsin’s Democratic attorney general seeking to block Musk’s handing out of two $1 million checks to voters two days before the election.

Two lower courts rejected that lawsuit before the Supreme Court declined to hear it on procedural grounds.

Musk’s attorneys argued in that case that Musk was exercising his free speech rights with the giveaways and any attempt to restrict that would violate both the Wisconsin and U.S. constitutions.

Musk’s political action committee used a nearly identical tactic before the presidential election last year, offering to pay $1 million a day to voters in Wisconsin and six other battleground states who signed a petition supporting the First and Second amendments. A judge in Pennsylvania said prosecutors failed to show the effort was an illegal lottery and allowed it to continue through Election Day.

A federal lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania in April alleges that Musk and his political action committee failed to pay more than $20,000 for getting people to sign that petition in 2024. America PAC on Monday filed a motion to dismiss. That case is pending.

Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit and nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletters to get our investigative stories and Friday news roundup. This story is published in partnership with The Associated Press.

Wisconsin lawsuit seeks to ban Elon Musk from offering $1 million checks to voters is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign is suing billionaire Elon Musk over allegations that he violated multiple state laws, including the election bribery statute, when he offered voters a potential $1 million award for signing a petition as part of his effort to sway the result of Wisconsin’s April Supreme Court election. 

Represented by Wisconsin’s Law Forward, Democracy Defenders Fund and New York-based law firm Hecker Fink, the lawsuit accuses the world’s richest man of implementing “a brazen scheme to bribe Wisconsin citizens to vote.” 

Musk and his political action committee, America PAC, played a major role in this spring’s election becoming the most expensive judicial campaign in American history. Musk’s involvement in the race, which came as he was leading President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting initiatives and firing thousands of federal employees through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), was widely seen as causing a backlash and helping Dane County Judge Susan Crawford defeat Musk-backed Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel. 

Musk and his PAC spent more than $20 million on the race. 

Prior to the election, America PAC offered voters $100 if they signed a petition “in opposition to activist judges,” and another $100 if they referred another voter to sign the petition. Later, at a pre-election rally in Green Bay, Musk handed out two $1 million checks to voters, which had been advertised as awards “in appreciation for you taking the time to vote.” 

The lawsuit, filed in Dane County court, notes it is against the law to offer anyone more than $1 to induce them to go to the polls, vote or vote for a particular candidate. 

“By offering and paying Wisconsin citizens amounts far greater than $1 to vote, Defendants violated Wisconsin’s election bribery law,” the lawsuit states. “Defendants’ payments and offers of payment to Wisconsin voters, made with the clear intent to aid one candidate and induce Wisconsinites to vote, threatened the integrity of the election and damaged public confidence in the electoral system.”

Jeff Mandell, Law Forward’s general counsel, said the lawsuit was meant to prevent efforts like Musk’s from becoming a regular occurrence. 

“We are fighting for free and fair elections,” Mandell said. “We believe our democracy demands better than schemes like the one detailed in our complaint. So, we are working to hold Musk accountable and stop this from becoming the new normal.”

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General Motors is having a great year when it comes to electric vehicles. Sure, some reports indicate sales might be cooling off in some corners of the market, but for GM, things are hot. The company says its EV sales have jumped 94 percent year over year, and one of its brands, Chevrolet, now ranks second only to Tesla in U.S. EV sales.

That’s not a small gap, though. Tesla still held nearly 44 percent of the U.S. EV market in the first quarter of the year, with 128,100 vehicles sold, or roughly as much as everyone else combined. However, Tesla’s May figures aren’t available yet, making a direct comparison with GM impossible.

Also: US EV Sales Jump In Q1, But The Biggest Losers Might Surprise You

Still, GM managed to sell 62,830 electric cars, trucks, and SUVs between January and the end of May. The first quarter alone saw a 94 percent year-over-year jump, and that momentum hasn’t let up. May turned out to be the company’s second-best month ever for EV sales, pushing GM to a 15.5 percent share of the current EV market.

Chevrolet carried much of that weight, accounting for over half of those numbers with roughly 37,000 deliveries during the same period. Leading the charge was the electric Equinox, which became GM’s best-selling EV with 21,804 units delivered.

Strong Numbers and Stronger Momentum

“Customers are responding in record numbers to our world-class portfolio of electric and gas-powered vehicles,” said Rory Harvey, executive VP and president of global markets. “In the first two months of the second quarter, we more than doubled our EV sales compared to the same period last year.” Lots of those sales are coming from the top EV seller, Tesla.

In fact, according to Scott Bell, vice president of global Chevrolet, over half of the sales GM has this year are conquest sales, meaning customers are switching over from other brands. He told the Detroit Free Press that the Equinox is a major player here.

“It’s certainly the most affordable EV out there with that kind of range. It is by far the leader in the clubhouse; it doubles our Blazer volume easily on a monthly basis,” said Bell. “Once you convert to an EV, you’re not leaving. Especially once you’ve invested in the infrastructure, a home charger, 86% of them will stay.”

Interestingly, General Motors’ figures are even more impressive when compared to Ford’s. The Blue Oval brand delivered 34,132 cars during the first five months of the year, marking an 8.3 percent drop from the same period in 2024. That’s right, Chevrolet outsold Ford, and that doesn’t take into account any of the sales from Cadillac and GMC. No doubt, some of that success comes from GM’s wider range of available EVs.

More: Dealer Fees In California Could Jump A Staggering 488 To 614%

At the same time, both GM and Ford are doing just fine when it comes to their combustion-engine businesses. Hybrids are selling great, too. We’ll get a clearer picture of the EV sales landscape soon. GM will announce its second-quarter sales numbers on July 1. Other automakers will no doubt do the same around the same time. 

We’re approaching the halfway point of the year, and things have already been wild. Tariffs, both the ones in effect and those merely looming, have changed the automotive industry, regulations are changing, and automakers are trying to keep up.

For its part, Ford has managed to have a positive year so far. Sales across the Ford and Lincoln brands are up 6.1 percent in the USA. At the same time, its EV business just took a huge hit during the month of May.

Also: Volvo’s EV Crash Hits Harder Than Expected As Buyers Walk Away From Batteries

It was only a couple of months ago that Ford’s EV sales looked like they were sliding, but not by too much. After April, they were down 2.9 percent year over year. That, though, seemed like it could be an aberration since sales in April alone were down 39.4 percent. With this new sales data in hand, it seems clear that buyers are flocking away from EVs and toward hybrids and gas-powered cars.

Ford doesn’t break up sales figures for its hybrid Lincoln products, but as a group, hybrids were up 28.9 percent in May. They outperformed every other propulsion type by at least ten basis points or more. Internal combustion cars came in second with a 17.2 percent bump over last year’s sales. Electric vehicles were down a whopping 25 percent. Due to the heavy volume of hybrid and internal combustion sales, the group was ultimately up 16.3 percent in May.

FORD AND LINCOLN SALES

Digging a little deeper into the data provides further insights. For example, the Mustang Mach-E continues to be a hit among consumers despite the EV downturn for Ford. It was up 11 percent in May and is still up 2.8 percent year over year. That’s a big rebound after it was down 40.2 percent in April. The big issues for Ford’s EV business seem to be the work vehicles.

More: This Raptor Was Flipped For $24K Over Sticker And It’s Not Even New

The F-150 Lightning was down 41.7 percent in May and is down 17.3 percent year over year. The E-Transit saw a sales drop in May of 93.3 percent and is down 24.8 percent for the year. It appears that buyers are leaning into the middle ground more than ever at Ford. The automaker’s hybrid business is up 31.2 percent this year. 

The Bigger Picture

Incentives likely helped boost May’s overall results, with employee pricing offers and consumer concerns about incoming tariffs giving shoppers extra motivation. Several models posted standout gains. The Bronco surged 51.1 percent year over year in May and is now up 46.5 percent for 2025. The Ranger also turned in a strong performance, rising 34.4 percent for the month and jumping 157.9 percent for the year.

On the flip side, the Mustang, despite having the ICE muscle car segment to itself, continues its downward trend, slipping 3.2% in May and falling 18% since the start of the year.

Lincoln had a solid month as well, climbing 39 percent in May and 13 percent for the year so far. The Navigator was a key driver of that growth, rocketing 133 percent in May and up 75.5 percent year to date.

FORD US SALES

LINCOLN US SALES

Ball joints are the unsung heroes of the car world. They’re the mechanical glue that holds the various bits of your vehicle’s suspension together and keeps you on the road. But now Ford is recalling thousands of their popular F-150 trucks because of fears that ‘glue’ might come unstuck.

Also: Ford Tells Three Lightning Owners Their EVs Might Be Missing A Nut Or Two

A total of 29,501 Ford F-150 Lightning electric trucks built for the 2024-25 model years are being recalled to check the front upper control arm ball joint nuts. Ford thinks some of the nuts haven’t been correctly tightened and could come loose, even come off altogether. And if that happens, the steering knuckle could potentially part company with the control arm, leading to a loss of control.

A Loose Nut Is More Than Just a Metaphor

Ford has a specified torque setting for the ball joint nuts, but says some might not have been torqued properly due to a variation in alignment between the nut and the fancy wrench. If the nut were to come loose, there’s a good chance owners would have plenty of warning before the suspension components head off in opposite directions. Ford says drivers need to listen out for unusual vibrations, clunks or rattles when crossing bumps and uneven surfaces.

According to Ford, it first became aware of the problem on March 6, 2025, when it received a report about a missing right front upper control arm nut on a 2024 F-150 Lightning built just three days earlier. The truck had roughly 634 miles on the odometer when the customer reported a front wheel failure while driving. It was towed to a dealership, where a technician confirmed the nut was missing and the control arm had detached from the knuckle.

This Isn’t the First Time

Getting a sense of déjà vu? Ford already announced a recall for an identical problem in December 2024 for Lightnings built for the 2023-24 model years. It introduced a secondary torque verification step into the production process, but in March of this year received a field report about a Lightning suffering a major suspension collapse while driving. When the truck was towed to a dealership, technicians discovered that the right front upper control arm nut was completely missing.

Owners of the 20,528 MY24 and 8,973 MY25 Lightnings at risk will be asked to take their trucks to a dealership to let technicians check the torque on their nuts. If the nut passes the test, it’ll be replaced anyway, but if it fails, Ford will pony up for an entirely new knuckle.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb kicks off on June 22 and Ford is hoping to have an ace up their sleeve. Two of them actually, as Romain Dumas will be piloting an insane Mustang Mach-E.

Simply known as the Super Mustang Mach-E, the one-off model shares little in common with the electric pony car that populates dealer lots. The changes are immediately apparent as this is a low-slung coupe, instead of a lifted hatchback masquerading as a crossover.

More: Ford Shows Mustang Mach-E NASCAR Prototype And Teases Electric Pikes Peak Racer

More notably, the car has some extreme aerodynamic modifications. Key among them is a huge front splitter and a massive diffuser. They’re joined by canards and a Texas-sized rear wing. Thanks to all the changes, the model generates 6,125 lbs (2,778 kg) of downforce. That’s more than 2023’s SuperVan 4.2 and last year’s F-150 Lightning SuperTruck.

Aerodynamics aside, the Super Mustang Mach-E has a tiny grille and custom bodywork. They’re joined by a stylish rear end with muscular haunches and flowing curves. The model also appears significantly shorter than the road-going EV, although Ford is keeping specifications under wraps at the moment.

While there’s no word on powertrain details, the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck gives us some idea about what to expect. It featured three STARD UHP six-phase motors that produced a combined output in excess of 1,600 hp (1,193 kW / 1,622 PS). The truck was also equipped with a custom suspension and ultra-high performance Li-Polymer NMC cells.

We can expect to learn more in the coming weeks, but Fords have been competing at Pikes Peak since 1916. That year, a Model T reached the summit in 28 minutes and 03 seconds. That compares to 8:53.553 for the SuperTruck and 8:47.682 for the SuperVan 4.2.

Tariffs aren’t the only thing on automakers’ minds these days. Ford is now raising alarm bells, warning that if tax credits for local battery producers are axed, its EV battery plant in Michigan could be at risk. The facility, known as BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, is currently employing 1,700 workers, with plans to add another 800 by March 2027. The plant is a crucial piece of Ford’s strategy to ramp up electric vehicle production, but it’s all dependent on those tax credits staying in place.

At the recent Mackinac Policy Conference in Michigan, Ford executive chair Bill Ford voiced his concerns, noting that “it’s not fair to change policy after all the expenditures have been made.” He added that because “the production tax credits seems to be up for grabs,” the site could be “imperiled,” as reported by TTNews.

Read: Ford’s EV Sales Just Fell Off A Cliff And Discounts Didn’t Make A Dent

Recently passed by the House, the Trump administration’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ aims to eliminate most of the clean energy tax credits introduced under Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. Many of these credits were designed to build a domestic EV supply chain and encourage consumers to purchase electric vehicles.

Under the Inflation Reduction Act, billions of dollars in private investments were funneled into EV manufacturing in the U.S. The Electrification Coalition reports major investments in states like North Carolina ($25.4 billion), Georgia ($24.5 billion), and Tennessee ($12.4 billion), all designed to jumpstart the transition to electric mobility.

The New Bill’s Impact on EV and Battery Manufacturing

If the new bill passes, it will not only phase out the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, but it will also cut off the manufacturer credit for battery producers after 2031. The bill also comes with stricter rules that limit the use of Chinese components and materials in U.S. manufacturing.

“Politicians can agree or disagree about whether those things are desirable,” Ford said. “But don’t change the rules once you’ve already made the investment, because that to me is just a question of fairness. And that’s unfair.”

Ford’s Michigan battery plant is also tied to a licensing agreement with CATL, a Chinese battery maker. While Ford holds full control over the manufacturing process, production, and workforce, it’s tapping into CATL’s expertise to help with factory equipment installation and to provide critical battery technology know-how.

The first-mover advantage is something Tesla continues to capitalize on. It’s been over 20 years since the brand first launched, and no other automaker in the U.S. has even come close to challenging Tesla’s dominance in the EV space. Despite the growing competition, Tesla still holds a commanding market share, which hovers around 45%.

More: House Speaker Says EV Tax Credits Are Likely Finished

However, if House Republicans succeed in their push, the company’s position could be further strengthened, but at a cost to legacy automakers like Ford and GM. The reason? A looming change to the Federal Tax Credit that currently helps all EV makers sell vehicles.

The Current EV Tax Credit System

At the moment, those who buy a new or used EV in America might qualify for one of two credits. New car buyers can qualify for up to $7,500, and used car buyers can get up to $4,000. These credits are in addition to various state incentives, such as the $5,000 credit in Colorado and $3,500 in Massachusetts.

To be eligible, the vehicle must meet certain requirements, such as North American assembly and specific sourcing of battery materials. SUVs and pickups are eligible for the credit if priced under $80,000, while regular cars must be under $55,000. Income limits also apply: individuals making under $150,000 and couples under $300,000 qualify. For leased vehicles, the credit goes to the leasing company, which often (but not always) passes on the savings to customers, contributing to a rise in EV leases.

That might not seem like a huge chunk of change considering the price of some EVs, but in reality, it plays a huge role in sales. For instance, in 2022, before the introduction of the tax credit, 96,000 EVs were leased. By 2023, that number skyrocketed to nearly 600,000. But a recent budget bill released on Monday proposes ending both the new and used car credits, along with several other non-automotive tax incentives.

A Slower EV Adoption Could Hurt Major Automakers

According to a report from the New York Times, Cox Automotive’s Stephanie Valdez Streaty believes that almost a third of car sales in 2030 will be EVs if the credit stays as it is. However, should the government get rid of it, that figure could drop to just 20 percent. Slowing the adoption of EVs wouldn’t just be a potential backsliding for environmentalists, it could hit big automakers like GM and Ford in a big way.

Those brands are still trying to get to the point where their EV businesses are profitable. And their far from it with their numbers. On the other hand, Tesla hit that mark long ago, so while other players will need to sort out new strategies, it can continue to reap the benefits of being the first to market in the way it was.

Other legacy automakers, such as Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia, have made significant investments in U.S.-based EV production, but they too could face a major setback if the bill passes. The removal of these credits would undermine the financial viability of the incentives that made their business cases profitable.

EV Startups Face Even Greater Financial Pressure

Although Tesla would also be impacted by the removal of the tax credit, it stands to gain in ways its rivals cannot. While Tesla may be able to withstand lower sales, many of its competitors will not have that luxury and could be forced to shut down. Newcomers like Rivian and Lucid, for example, would face immense financial pressure as their sales figures don’t support a profitable business model.

Even smaller, more recent startups like Slate would likely have to review their entire business plan. What, after all, is the point of a tiny EV trucklet with 150 miles of range, no desirable mainstream features, and a price that is as high as a Ford Maverick?

In the grand scheme, while Tesla will undoubtedly be affected, the long-term payoff could be substantial. It may emerge as the dominant force in the EV market with little to no competition to contend with. In other words, instead of having 45% of the EV market’s 33% of car sales, it could end up with double that of the predicted 20%.

In the grand scheme, Tesla will undoubtedly face challenges, but the long-term payoff could be massive. It might emerge as the dominant force in the EV market with little to no competition to contend with in America. Instead of holding 45% of the EV market’s 33% share of total car sales, Tesla might dominate nearly the entire 20% share that EVs are expected to capture in the 2030s if tax credits vanish, while also further extending its technological lead in the field.

“What this does globally to the U.S. auto industry and its ability to compete – I think it’s going to hurt us,” Ms. Valdez Streaty said. “I think it’s going to slow us down, and we are already behind China.”

Eric Cantona, part soccer god, part walking headline, has never been one to shy away from making a scene. The man who once famously launched a “kung fu kick” into an opposing football fan’s chest after he hurled abuse at him, is now getting a tribute from Ford, in the form of a one-off electric Capri. And if that doesn’t scream “Cantona,” we’re not sure what does.

That said, we can’t help but wonder if it’s really a great idea for a company to celebrate a physical assault, no matter how legendary, even under the guise of a cheeky nod. But hey, who needs restraint when there’s branding to be done, right?

More: Ford’s Capri Has Regenerated Almost As Many Times As Dr Who

Cantona, who teamed up with Ford to relaunch the Capri, is a football legend, widely hailed as one of the best to don Manchester United’s red, with four Premier League titles in five years to back up the claim. Not bad for a guy who could get as much attention for his temper as he did for his talent.

Beyond his undeniable talent on the field, “King Eric” is also remembered for his explosive attitude, which got him into some serious trouble in 1995. During an away match, he launched a kick – and a punch- at a fan from the opposing team. As a result, Cantona faced fines, community service, and a lengthy ban from the sport. But of course, he made his comeback, bagging more titles before retiring early in 1997 at the ripe age of 30.

As a nod to this high-profile incident, the headrests of the one-off Capri feature the outline of Cantona’s figure doing the infamous “kung fu kick”. Another bespoke feature is the polished Plexiglass insert on the center console with a backlit script that reads: “When a goat follows his hero in his car, it’s because the ruler on the racetrack returns. The Legend is back.”

The interior of the EV features the Feeltek Luxury Grain trim, contrasting with stripes, accents, and stitching in Signal Orange. The same color has been applied to the exterior, as a reference to the Mark III Capri from the 70s. The striking color is combined with black racing stripes and the number 7 on the profile, mirroring Cantona’s shirt number at Manchester United.

More: David Beckham Creates Personalized Maserati MC20 Inspired By Miami United FC

Other standout features include a bespoke rear spoiler, 21-inch alloy wheels, a 3D crown badge on the D-pillars, and Cantona’s signature displayed on the front fenders, right next to the Ford Design logo. Underneath, however, it’s business as usual, as the one-off is based on the Capri RWD Extended Range trim, with no other changes to speak of.

The special Capri was crafted by a handpicked team of Ford designers, who no doubt spent a fair amount of time brainstorming with Cantona himself. The final product was then unveiled to the man of the hour in a special ceremony at Ford France’s headquarters

Ford Europe

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday, May 15, 2025, will hear cases related to President Donald Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON — U.S. Supreme Court justices on Thursday are set to hear oral arguments in three cases stemming from the Trump administration’s attempt to end the constitutional right of birthright citizenship — though the focus may be on the power of district court judges to issue orders with national effects.

It’s one of the first major legal fights of the Trump administration’s second term to reach the high court, and one of several immigration-related emergency requests to be considered.

The justices have before them three challenges to President Donald Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship, from courts in Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington state. Under birthright citizenship, all children born in the United States are considered citizens, regardless of their parents’ legal status.

But the Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to focus instead on whether lower court judges can issue nationwide injunctions, rather than the constitutionality of the executive order. Such injunctions affect everyone in the country and not just those involved in the case or living in the court’s district.

It is up to the court alone to decide, though, what it wants to consider, and justices could also wade into the birthright citizenship question.

If birthright citizenship were to be eliminated, more than a quarter of a million children born each year would not be granted U.S. citizenship, according to a new study by the think tank Migration Policy Institute.

It would effectively create a class of 2.7 million stateless people by 2045, according to the study.

The lawyers who will be making oral arguments in court are New Jersey Solicitor General Jeremy Feigenbaum and Kelsi Corkran, Supreme Court director at Georgetown’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection.

In briefs, they argue that the Trump administration has not shown it will be harmed by the multiple district courts placing the executive order on hold.

On the core issue of birthright citizenship, in their briefs, they argue that the 14th Amendment “guarantees citizenship to all born in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof” and cite Supreme Court cases that have upheld birthright citizenship to those born in the U.S.

Nine justices, three cases

The nine justices will hear arguments on whether lower courts erred in granting a nationwide pause on the policy that extended beyond the plaintiffs who initially filed the challenge.

Immigrant rights’ groups and several pregnant women in Maryland who are not U.S. citizens filed the case in Maryland; four states — Washington, Arizona, Illinois, and Oregon — filed the case in Washington state; and 18 Democratic state attorneys general filed the challenge in Massachusetts.

Those 18 states are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer, who will argue on behalf of the Trump administration, has criticized the nationwide injunctions as impeding the executive branch’s authority. 

The Trump administration has contended that it’s unconstitutional for federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions. Instead, the Trump administration said, the injunctions should be limited to those who brought the challenges.

Wong Kim Ark case

On Trump’s Inauguration Day, he signed an executive order, which was originally planned to go into effect Feb. 19, that children born in the United States would not be automatically guaranteed citizenship if their parents were in the country without legal authorization or if they were on a temporary legal basis such as a work or student visa.

Birthright citizenship was adopted in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution in 1868, following the Civil War, to establish citizenship for newly freed Black people. In 1857, in Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Supreme Court initially denied citizenship to Black people, whether they were free or enslaved.

In 1898, the Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, when the justices ruled in United States v. Wong Kim Ark that children born in the U.S. are citizens.

In that case, Ark was born in San Francisco, California, to parents who were citizens of the Republic of China, but had a temporary legal authority to be in the country, such as a visa.

When Ark left the U.S. for a trip to China, on his return his citizenship was not recognized and he was denied reentry due to the Chinese Exclusion Act— a racist law designed to restrict and limit nearly all immigration of Chinese nationals.

The high court eventually ruled that children born in the United States to parents who were not citizens automatically become citizens at birth.

In arguments in the lower courts on the current case, attorneys on behalf of the Trump administration argue that the Wong Kim Ark case was misinterpreted and pointed to a phrase in the 14th Amendment: “subject to the jurisdiction.”

The Trump administration contends that phrase means that birthright citizenship only applies to children born to parents who are “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States. In their view, people in the U.S. without legal status or temporary legal status are “subject to the jurisdiction” of their country of origin.

Tribal sovereignty

Tribal law scholars have noted that the language pertaining to “jurisdiction of” stems from the idea of political alliance when it comes to tribal sovereignty.

It’s from another Supreme Court case involving the U.S. citizenship of American Indian citizens, which the Trump administration focuses on in its argument, citing Elk v. Wilkins in 1884.

In that case, the Supreme Court denied citizenship to John Elk, a Winnebago man living in Omaha, Nebraska, on the grounds that “Indian tribes, being within the territorial limits of the United States, were not, strictly speaking, foreign states; but they were alien nations, distinct political communities.”

Torey Dolan, an assistant professor of law at the University of Wisconsin Law School, said the Trump administration’s reliance on Elk in its birthright citizenship executive order and the idea the political alliance of a parent would then transfer to a child is a misinterpretation.

“A lot of this reliance on Elk is really a distortion,” Dolan said. “I think the administration’s reliance is a stretch, at best, and a bastardization of the case, at worst.”

Dolan, an enrolled citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, said some Native Americans were excluded from citizenship in the 14th Amendment because during that time, Congress would specifically sign treaties with tribes and grant citizenship.

“That is consistent with a long history of Congress creating pathways to Indian citizenship,” she said.

After the justices hear arguments on Thursday, any decision is likely to come before the Supreme Court’s recess in early July. 

Ford’s Bronco family is about to get a whole lot bigger, and it looks like China will be the first to see the new addition. A camouflaged SUV sporting Bronco badges and styling has been spotted in China, giving us an early glimpse of an upcoming high-riding model from Ford. This SUV is clearly a departure from the US-spec Bronco Sport and will join the mid-size five-door Bronco already on sale in China.

More: Chinese Galaxy Battleship Floats Two Hours Straight While Pretending It’s A Defender

This mysterious SUV was included in Ford’s latest product plan for China, which was announced just last month. While the official announcement kept things vague, spy shots from Autohome have given us a few juicy details about what could be the third member of Ford’s ever-expanding Bronco family.

Design Details and Familiar Features

The camouflaged prototype boasts a boxy, rugged design reminiscent of the growing number of SUVs from China. The headlights carry a Bronco Sport influence, though they forgo the signature round LED graphics. From the side, round fender flares, pop-out door handles, and an upright windshield with black pillars add to the vehicle’s bold look.

At the rear, a full-size spare tire and vertically stacked taillights bring to mind the Land Rover Defender, while the clear finish gives it a contemporary touch.

Moving inside, the Bronco identity shines through, highlighted by the emblem on the flat-bottom steering wheel. Though parts of the interior remain concealed, we can still make out a high-mounted center console featuring ample storage and a free-standing infotainment screen seamlessly integrated into the dashboard.

Size and Unibody Architecture

Spy Shots Autohome

While the exact dimensions and positioning of this model remain unclear, it appears to be larger than the US-spec Ford Bronco Sport, which measures 4,387 mm (172.7 inches) long. This could be Ford’s response to the perceived preference of Chinese customers for bigger and roomier vehicles. For context, the five-door Bronco stretches to 4,800-4,825 mm (189-190 inches) in length.

A look underneath suggests that the SUV is based on a unibody architecture. This is probably the biggest point of differentiation from the regular Bronco that rides on a ladder-frame chassis sourced from the Ranger pickup. It remains to be seen whether this Chinese model will share its unibody foundation with the Bronco Sport, Escape/Kuga, and Focus, or if Ford has something entirely different in mind for its new Bronco variant.

More: A New Ford Sedan Has Been Spied In America

Elements such as the covered grille, the aero-friendly alloy wheels, and the dual ports on the rear fenders suggest that the SUV is fitted with an electrified powertrain, which would be a first for a Bronco-badged product. The setup could either be a plug-in hybrid or a range-extender, as both of them require the presence of a fuel port and a charging port.

A few details, like the covered grille, aero-friendly alloy wheels, and dual ports on the rear fenders, hint that this SUV might come with an electrified powertrain, which if true, would be a first for anything wearing the Bronco badge. This could mean a plug-in hybrid or a range-extender setup, as both would require both a fuel port and a charging port.

This new Bronco model is expected to be built in China, likely through one of Ford’s joint ventures with Changan or Jiangling Motors. Expect more details later this year, when the vehicle’s specs and images will likely be revealed through China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, ahead of its official market launch.

It hasn’t even been two years since the Ford Fiesta was unceremoniously retired, and yet, it may already be staging a comeback. This time around, though, the Fiesta could look very different. Instead of a traditional internal combustion comeback, the new version might arrive as part of Ford’s growing collaboration with Volkswagen, a partnership that has already produced models like the Explorer EV and Capri based on VW’s platforms.

VW’s head of sales and marketing, Martin Sander, says that the carmaker’s tie-up with Ford on EVs has already proven to be “very, very, very successful,” and is open to sharing technologies in a similar way in the future. Sander formerly worked at Ford in Europe and, as the Explorer EV and Capri use the same platform as the VW ID.4 and ID.5, Ford could conceivably develop new EVs with the same MEB Entry architecture as the ID.1 and ID.2.

Read: Ford Is Killing The Focus ST But Something Wilder Is Coming

Ford itself has not commented on the possibility of building a new entry-level electric hatchback, but Auto Express speculates that such a project is conceivable. Ford says it’s “confident in its ability to compete in the right segments,” so if it sees potential with an electric hatch, it may be wise to pursue it.

Looking at the numbers, the ID.2 could be a near-ideal blueprint for a new Fiesta. The ID.2all Concept is only 0.7 inches (or 18 mm) longer than the outgoing Fiesta, and it shares the same five-door layout. In terms of size and purpose, it’s almost a one-to-one match.

Of course, Ford would have to convince VW to let it use its underpinnings, even though a new Fiesta would likely snatch sales away from the ID.2, as well as the related Cupra Raval and Skoda Epiq. Unless VW thinks it will get something from the deal, it’s hard to see why it would be open to it. Admittedly, if a new Fiesta were sold in markets where the ID.2 won’t be, that would take away the threat of it stealing sales.

Meanwhile, Ford isn’t sitting still. A skunkworks team inside the company is reportedly working on a new budget-friendly EV aimed squarely at emerging rivals like BYD. This upcoming model could start at around $25,000 and may feature a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery pack, which offers cost advantages and improved durability compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Regardless of the Fiesta’s return, Ford appears to be quietly assembling the pieces for a more affordable EV future, and it may not be long before we see what that actually looks like.

Whether some realize it or not, automotive safety has never been as advanced as it is currently. That safety doesn’t just relate to how cars handle on-road incidents either. It starts at the production facility, and a new recall from Ford is a great example.

The Blue Oval just recalled three, yes three, individual F-150 Lightnings due to one or more potentially missing or loose retention nuts. In a new recall filing with the NHTSA, Ford says that these nuts hold the high-voltage battery junction box bus bars down. If they’re missing or loose, it could lead to electrical arcing or even a fire.

More: Ford’s Recallathon Continues With Three New Campaigns

According to Ford, the nuts in question could’ve been removed in error during a reworking operation. It seems that there was no record of the nuts being re-torqued to appropriate specs after that rework. As such, Ford wants to check to be sure they’re not just there, but that they’re tight too.

While it says it doesn’t know of any accidents or injuries related to the issue, it does say that it knows of one field report and one warranty report related to the same incident. It’s already alerted dealers to the issue and will notify all three owners by May 23 at the latest. Dealers will check the nuts, install them if necessary, and of course, torque them properly. That should solve the issue altogether.

Until then, owners should pay attention to signs like a “loud noise while driving”, a “Stop Safely Now” message, and a check engine or malfunction indicator light on the dashboard. If the problem occurs, the truck will lose motive power, but the 12-volt battery should continue supplying power to steering and braking systems.

Decades ago, it’s unlikely that a problem as isolated as this one would’ve even been found. Even if a worker on the production line had caught it, they might not have had procedures in place to track other similarly affected vehicles.

No doubt, recalls are on the rise across the industry, but cases like this explain why that’s not as bleak a headline as it may seem. Essentially, the safety net that catches defects has a much finer mesh size than ever before, and we’re all safer for it.

Ford is pouring tens of billions of dollars into electric vehicles, betting big on a future that’s already here, but so far, the returns aren’t looking great. While the EV market overall continues to grow, Ford’s own electric sales are moving in the opposite direction. If the Dearborn automaker wants to close the gap with rivals like GM and Hyundai-Kia, let alone take a swing at Tesla’s lead, it needs to figure out how to boost local EV sales, and quickly.

A look at Ford’s most recent sales results does not paint a pretty picture for the automaker. In April, Ford managed to sell 4,859 EVs across the country. This represents a massive 39.4% decline from the 8,014 units it sold in April last year. Ford’s total EV sales for the first four months of 2025 are also down 2.9% from last year, with 27,409 units finding new homes. And that’s with Ford extending its popular Employee Pricing discounts for all.

Read: Ford Chief Says China Leads US By 10 Years In EV Batteries, Needs Their IP

A dramatic drop in demand for the Mustang Mach-E is the main reason why Ford’s sales collapsed last month. In April, 2,927 Mustang Mach-Es were sold, representing a 40.2% decline from the 4,893 sold in April 2024. Interestingly, sales are up by 0.4% year to date with 14,534 sales.

Sales of the F-150 Lightning have also dropped. In April 2024, Ford shifted 2,090 units, but this year, just 1,740. Year-to-date sales are also down 9.2% to 8,927. The E-Transits also had a very bad month with just 192 sales, a plunge of 81.5%.

Unlike its EVs, Ford’s hybrids are actually gaining ground. In April, the company sold 23,331 hybrid models, a 29.6% increase over the previous year. Year-to-date, hybrid sales are up 31.9%, with 74,404 units sold so far in 2025.

Outside of EVs, things are looking good for Ford. In April, the company’s total vehicle sales rose 16.2% compared to the same month in 2024, reaching 208,675 units versus 179,588 last year.

With the exception of EVs, Ford’s overall sales are up through the first four months of the year, despite the turmoil that the whole industry is facing since the introduction of Trump’s tariffs. Year-to-date, Ford has sold 709,966 vehicles in the US, or 3.2% more than the 687,671 it delivered in 2024.