Ford claims slow sales of the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV are not a concern, and a recent update – plus the strength of the Mustang name – are enough to keep it afloat.
Electric Cars
Ford has defended the poor sales of its electric Mustang Mach-E SUV, saying it is important to present something “iconic…and clearly different” from the rest of the market rather than top the charts.
Since its launch in 2023, Ford has sold 1113 Mach-Es in Australia, including 75 in October 2025, for a total of 380 so far this year – compared to 3702 examples of the petrol-powered Mustang so far this year.
For context, that’s a ratio of nine petrol examples for each electric car – and more damning is the contrast with one of Australia’s most popular EVs, the Tesla Model Y, which has outsold the Mach-E by a ratio of 46:1 this year.
Ford has just launched an updated Ford Mustang Mach-E, with increased power, torque, driving range, revised suspension and tuning, as well as new styling and features, among its key highlights.
Prices start from $65,990 for the Select and go up to $98,490 for the GT, both before on-road costs.
Speaking to the media, including Drive, at the recent launch of the updated Mach-E, Ford Australia’s Marketing Director, Ambrose Henderson, claims standing out in a crowded market is more important to the Blue Oval than outright sales numbers.
“[The Mach-E] is something that is iconic and clearly different from most of the other EVs in the market,” he said.
“The market's immensely competitive. We think, with the updates that we've made in terms of design, technology and the drive feel and dynamics, that it will resonate with customers. We’re really excited about what that will do going forward.
“There are a lot of aerodynamically designed white boxes on the road that are EVs, right? And that's not us. That is not what we wanted to deliver. We wanted something that was authentic and really leverages off what is a global icon with Mustang.”
While the car giant says sales figures do not matter, the Mustang Mach-E will be crucial to help Ford offset sales of high-emissions Ranger utes and Everest 4WDs under Australia's new-vehicle emissions rules to avoid hefty government fines.
Criticism has been levelled at the Mustang Mach-E's badge since it launched locally two years ago, but the Ford executive claims the EV provides the “same excitement” as the V8.
“We wanted to provide customers with an alternative to, let's call it, the traditional Mustang,” said Henderson, “which will always have a place, and give them an electric version that delivers the same excitement, the same emotion, same thrill of the drive, and the same sort of design, which you can't get on pretty much any other mainstream EV in the market today.
“We're excited about what that represents and how it links with our brand, and we'll see what customers say.”
The entry-level Select and mid-spec Premium both produce 212kW/525Nm from a shared single rear-mounted electric motor, while the top-of-the-range GT makes 434kW/955Nm from two electric motors, one on each axle.
In comparison, the Mustang EcoBoost uses a 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine making 232kW/475Nm, while the GT produces 345kW/550Nm from its 5.0-litre V8 engine.
According to Henderson, around 50 per cent of Mach-E customers are previous petrol Mustang owners, although it is unclear who the target is for the vehicle.
“The customer that we are looking at here is, you know, somebody who resonates with the idea of Mustang and loves to drive and enjoy getting away and touring on the weekend, not just going from A to B,” he said.
“[Someone] who is eco-minded and wants to be proud of the car they own.
“We have plenty of pictures from customers where they have their Mustang GT and their Mustang Mach-E parked next to each other in the garage and are very proud to do so.
“We've also seen the people who are brand new to our brand who have been really wanting an EV but not excited about what other EV options are out there.”
Asked whether the brand should be aiming the Mach-E more at family buyers as an SUV, Henderson was reluctant to call it a family vehicle, despite its size and body style.
“The primary audience is couples, just from a demographic and opportunity perspective,” he said.
“But absolutely, you know, it gives you three seats in the back, which Mustang doesn't, I mean, it has two seats in the back, but if you try to get into them, it's a little bit harder, right?
“That's the compromise you make when you have an amazing two-door sports car. So it does give you that amazing additional flexibility and opens up a wider audience for sure.”
Electric Cars Guide
A born-and-bred newshound, Kathryn has worked her way up through the ranks reporting for, and later editing, two renowned UK regional newspapers and websites, before moving on to join the digital newsdesk of one of the world’s most popular newspapers – The Sun. More recently, she’s done a short stint in PR in the not-for-profit sector, and led the news team at Wheels Media.
