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

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. 

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.

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.