Ford Motor Co Delivers the First Electric Mach-Es to Customers in China

author: Eric Walz   

Ford Motor Co announced on Sunday that it has started deliveries of the electric Mach-E to the first customers in China. Ford announced its plans to sell the Mach-E electric SUV in China in January.

Among the first customers to receive their Mach-Es is ad executive and Ford Mustang fan Jin Zhang, who said he will use his Mach-E as a family hauler. 

The locally-produced Mach-E is being sold directly to customers and is replacing the traditional dealer experience of purchasing and taking delivery of a new vehicle. The direct-to-consumer sales strategy was pioneered by Tesla, but other electric automakers in China, including NIO and XPeng, have adopted similar sales models to make it easier for customers to take delivery of their new EVs.

To support this effort, Ford is growing its network of direct-to-customer stores located in major Chinese metropolitan markets. The automaker said its currently has 25 stores dedicated to the sale of its electric vehicles in China.

Ford says its retail sales network in China is key to its electrification push in the country, which is the world's biggest auto market. 

Ford China was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Shanghai. Ford also operates a 50/50 joint venture in China between Changan Automobile and Ford Motor Company named Changan Ford. 

The locally produced Mach E is being manufactured at Changan Ford's manufacturing plant in Chongqing. The joint venture company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in the city of Chongqing. 

Ford opened reservations for the Mach-E earlier this year. The Chinese versions include the Mustang Mach-E RWD (long range), RWD Premium (long range), RWD (standard range) and GT First Edition.

Customers that have already paid their deposits and signed the purchase contract before Dec 31, 2021 will be entitled to additional benefits, such as vehicle and battery system warranty, roadside assistance plan, new retail finance and replacement plan, and referral bonus. Mach-E GT First Edition buyers will also get a limited-edition, custom-made exclusive premium gift package from Ford.

The China-built Mach-E RWD (long range) has a maximum range of 619 kilometers (384 miles) under China's light-duty vehicle test cycle (CLTC). It is priced at 282,000 yuan ($43,450) in order to qualify for state-led subsidies which are capped at 300,000 yuan.

The GT version of the Mach-E features a maximum output power of 359 kW and can reach 0-100 km/h acceleration in 3.65 seconds.

The China-built Mach-E will also come equipped with Ford's latest driver-assist technologies and infotainment system that supports over-the-air (OTA) updates, so the EV will always run the latest software.

The China version of the Mach-E will offer Ford's Co-Pilot360 automated driving and safety suite that will help drivers in China anticipate potential driving hazards and improve traffic safety. Co-Pilot 360 also offers level-2 automatic driving assistance functions, including hand-free driving on some divided highways in China. 

Ford also claims its the first automobile manufacturer in China to offer cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology in mass production vehicles and will offer the technology in the Mach-E.

The China-built Mach-E is set to become a major competitor to Tesla's China-built Model Y crossover, which the company recently started producing at its factory in Shanghai.

Ford's electric Mach-E will also be competing with Volkswagen's new ID.4 SUV. In Nov 2020, Volkswagen launched two new battery-powered ID models in China—the ID.4 CROZZ and ID.X.

Production of Mach-E in China is part of the automaker's "Best of Ford, Best of China" strategy announced in 2019 in order to offer Chinese customers industry-leading smart electric vehicles and advanced technologies.

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.