If you’re planning to buy a Ford Mustang Mach-E soon, you may need to cool your heels a bit. Ford has delayed shipping its new electric crossover to address quality concerns.
“As part of our commitment to delivering high-quality vehicles, we are conducting additional quality checks on several hundred Mustang Mach-E models build before dealer shipments started last month,” Ford spokesperson Emma Berg said in a statement. Ford says it has notified customers who’ve already ordered one of the affected vehicles. It isn’t yet clear if cars not already ordered face delays.
The Mustang Mach-E has been a critical success for Ford, recently taking home the 2021 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award. Its muscle-car-derived looks, crisp performance, and the promise of emissions-free driving pose a serious threat to Tesla’s EV dominance. Tesla has trimmed the price of its Model Y SUV in response.
Ford, meanwhile, is in a curious position regarding vehicle quality. In December, the brand delayed delivery of thousands of F-150 trucks to perform quality inspections and repairs. Ford refused to discuss the move with its union and brought in non-union labor to complete the tasks. There’s some uncertainty about precisely what may have been wrong with the trucks and how they were being fixed. Now the Mach-E faces delays over quality issues. We should note, however, that we’re aware of no customer complaints – all of these inspections and repairs have come before vehicles ever reached buyers.
