Ford’s hybrid vehicle strategy pays off with new all-time sales record

Ford's hybrid vehicle strategy pays off

By Bruce Brown Published May 9, 2024

Ford Hybrid F-150 pulling an Airstream trailer on a two-lane road with trees next to the road. — Ford / Ford

Ford reported good news for hybrid sales in its latest monthly report from the company’s Dearborn, Michigan headquarters. Like other automakers on the path to electrification, Ford is paying close attention to its all-electric, gasoline-only, and hybrid vehicle sales. in April 2024, Ford sold 17,997 hybrid vehicles in the U.S. That’s a new monthly record for Ford, 60% higher than its hybrid sales in April 2023.

Why Ford’s hybrid sales success matters

Ford enjoyed immediate sales success with its original battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning. Immediately after their respective launches, the Mach-E in 2021 and the Lightning in 2022, demand far outstripped supply, leading to price increases and plans to add production shifts and facilities.

Recommended Videos

When the demand for the Mach-E and Lightning softened, a reaction to price increases and increased post-COVID overall vehicle supply, Ford retrenched on some expansion immediate plans. In a Ford investor call earlier this year, Ford CEO Jim Farley pointed to continued major investments in electrification. He also spoke about hybrids’ position and market share in Ford’s lineup, especially with trucks.

The shift to electrification is costly, and the sales of gas-only and hybrid vehicles will help fund the transition. It’s good to learn that sales of Ford hybrid-powered vehicles are accelerating.

Ford’s April 2024 hybrid vehicle sales

Two Ford trucks, the full-size F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid pickup and the Maverick Hybrid, Ford’s smallest pickup sold in the U.S., were major contributors to Ford’s hybrid sales increases. April 2024 sales of the F-150 PowerBoost, launched in 2021, tallied a 93.6% increase over the April 2023 sales.

Ford reported that the compact Maverick Hybrid truck is the best-selling hybrid pickup overall for 2024, with U.S. sales totaling 26,061 Maverick Hybrids in the first four months. Ford also mentioned that 59% of Maverick Hybrid truck buyers previously owned other vehicle types and brands, often trading in a small SUV to buy a Maverick Hybrid.

Topics

EVs

A Digital Trends Contributing Editor and Contributor for TheManual.com, Bruce Brown writes e-mobility reviews and covers…

Auto

We tried out Ford’s new offroading tech in the F-150 Tremor, and we have thoughts

You can use cruise control offroad now

The Ford F-150 Tremor offroad

The 2024 Ford F-150 Tremor comes packed with features, including unique front and rear springs and shocks, special Tremor control arms, and an optional new front bumper. Under the hood, there’s a choice between Ford’s EcoBoost 3.5 Liter V6 and its 5 liter V8 -- with the V8 offering more horsepower and the V6 producing more torque thanks to its accompanying electric motor. There are also a few special features that may make a difference should you take the truck on a trail.

Those features include new ways to turn, an option to drive without touching a pedal (or sticking to just one) and a pretty much industry-standard array of assistance tools that rely on the vehicle’s various cameras and sensors. To try it all out, Ford took me on a short offroading expedition on California’s Burns Canyon Trail. It wasn’t a particularly challenging route, but did allow the company to showcase many of the truck’s best features. Here’s what I found.
Trail Turn Assist and Trail Control are the standout features

Auto

The Ford Project T3 electric truck: What we know so far

This is what we know about Ford's mysterious new EV

2024 Ford F-150 Lariat pickup truck front left three-quarter view parked on grass in front of trees.

Some might think that Ford is being left behind in the EV market despite its impressively successful F-150 lightning electric vehicle. This is far from the case, with Ford CEO Jim Farley confirming during the launch of the F-150 Lightening that Ford already had a new electric vehicle truck to match competitors in the works. This new Ford project is being publicly referred to as "Project T3," an acronym meaning "Trust The Truck."

From what we can see, the Ford electric truck will receive some branding from the F-Series, but it will be in its own league among other trucks. Yet, with so little information released, how will you know if this EV truck is right for you? Read on to learn what we know so far about The Ford Project T3 electric truck.
The Ford Project T3 electric truck's platform might not be a secret

Auto

Electric Bronco: What we know about Ford’s iconic SUV

The prospect of a battery-only Bronco generates excitement.

2024 Ford Bronco Raptor Code Orange descending a rocky grade with desert hills and vegetation.

It's a given that Ford will create an electric Bronco. The details around capabilities, market segments, and timing are less certain, but Ford has dropped enough breadcrumbs about an electric Bronco, and other Ford battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) that we can piece together answers to the above issues with a healthy degree of confidence. As we learn more, We'll continue refining this profile of the upcoming electric version of Ford's recently re-born iconic SUV.
Why an electric Bronco matters

Ford Motor Company is pushing forward its development of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) while it continues to develop hybrids and sell ICE vehicles. Emphasis on market segments can shift during the momentous transition to electrification, as we observed in a statement by Ford CEO Jim Farley when he spoke of an all-star skunkworks team of top EV experts Ford hired to focus on developing low-cost BEVs.