Ford employees produce the electrical F-150 Lightning pickup on Dec. 13, 2022 on the automaker’s Ford Rouge Electrical Car Heart (REVC).
Michael Wayland | CNBC
DETROIT — Ford Motor‘s new U.S. car gross sales began 2023 on a stronger footing than a 12 months earlier however had been down 18.4% from December, the corporate reported Thursday.
January is traditionally one of many weakest months of the 12 months, whereas December is without doubt one of the strongest. Nonetheless, the month-over-month decline is notable because the worst for the automaker since a 28% drop between Could and June of final 12 months. Between December 2021 and January 2022, gross sales declined 17.4%.
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The automotive trade continues to navigate by means of some provide chain and manufacturing points, though the circulate of components and car manufacturing this 12 months is predicted to be extra constant than in recent times. Morgan Stanley stated Thursday that U.S. auto gross sales final month smashed expectations: It estimated the seasonally adjusted promoting price at 16.2 million in contrast with expectations of 15.5 million.
For January, Ford reported a 2% enhance in gross sales from a 12 months earlier to 146,356 autos offered. The uptick was led by gross sales will increase of 8.8% for F-Collection pickups, 25.5% for Broncos, and 52% for Bronco Sport SUVs — in addition to a doubling of its electrical car gross sales, which have been and stay minimal. EVs made up 3.6% of Ford’s month-to-month gross sales.
A number of the automaker’s crossovers such because the Ford Edge and Escape skilled double-digit declines from a 12 months earlier.
Inventory comparability between Ford, Basic Motors and Tesla.
“We’re happy with the robust gross sales begin to the 12 months with our beneficial properties being pushed by file electrical car gross sales, F-Collection vans and Broncos,” Ford spokesman Stated Depp stated in an e mail to CNBC.
Ford’s EV gross sales — a significant focus of Wall Road — elevated to five,247 models in January, led by a roughly 11% enhance in gross sales of its electrical Mustang Mach-E crossover. The automaker offered 2,264 models of its electrical F-150 Lightning pickup in January.
On Monday, Ford introduced it was growing manufacturing and slicing costs of the Mach-E, weeks after trade chief Tesla introduced comparable plans for its EVs.
The Mach-E led Ford to turn out to be the second-bestselling automaker of EVs final 12 months within the U.S., albeit trailing Tesla by a large margin. Ford offered greater than 65,000 EVs within the U.S. final 12 months. Motor Intelligence estimates Tesla, which doesn’t report gross sales by area, offered greater than 522,000 EVs within the U.S. in 2022.
Ford’s January gross sales come forward of the automaker releasing fourth-quarter and 2022 earnings outcomes Thursday after markets shut. In October, Ford confirmed its prior full-year steering of adjusted earnings earlier than curiosity and taxes of between $11.5 billion and $12.5 billion.
— CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
