Ford's October US EV deliveries fall 71.2% to 1,355 vehicles

Ford's October numbers

Ford's US sales fell 0.8% year on year to 174,123 vehicles in October, according to the company's sales update. Electric vehicle deliveries fell 71.2% to 1,355 units.

The EV total was less than 1% of Ford's October volume. Truck sales rose and partly offset the electric decline, the update showed. Total volume was nearly flat, but the mix shifted: trucks carried the month while the electric line was too small to do so. The update pointed to a divergence between demand for Ford's legacy car segments and its electric options.

The update did not include full data for hybrids, individual models or profitability. Ford did not provide a model-by-model split, so the release does not show which vehicles drove the 71.2% fall.

Why the EV number matters

For investors, the EV slump raises questions about the pace of adoption and whether electric cars can drive sales growth. Higher truck demand offers some help to overall volumes. The missing profitability data means the financial effect of the month is not public: the release gives volume, not margin.

The next data point is Ford's November sales report. It will show whether EV deliveries stabilize while truck demand holds.

The Fathom pickup

Ford's upcoming midsize electric pickup is the Fathom. Ford has said the standard-range model will start at $28,350, or under $30,000 including the $1,595 delivery fee. The Fathom will be among the most affordable EVs in the US, and even pricier trims will start at under $40,000.

Andrew Frick, president of Ford Model e, said the entry price is only the bottom of the range. "The starting price of $28,350 is just that," Frick said. "We'll have a range that goes to the high $30,000 range. And we'll have a couple of different offerings within that."

The Fathom will use a zonal electrical architecture and a 48-volt system to cut costs. It will also offer bidirectional charging. All Fathom models will be BlueCruise-capable for hands-free driving with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Ford has said the Fathom will cost less to own over five years than a three-year-old used Tesla Model Y.

Chief executive Jim Farley said on Ford's third-quarter earnings call that the Fathom, the first vehicle on the company's Universal Electric Vehicle platform, remains on track to launch in the fourth quarter of 2027. Ford plans to open preorders in early 2027.

That leaves Ford's near-term US volume reliant on trucks, with the Fathom not due until the fourth quarter of 2027.