So here's the thing about electric vehicles: sometimes people just don't want them as much as they did before. Ford Motor Co. (F) reported first-quarter 2026 sales numbers on Thursday, and the headline is that total vehicle sales fell 8.8% year-over-year to 457,315 units. But the real story is what's happening under the hood—specifically, what's happening with the batteries.
EV sales collapsed by 69.6%. That's not a typo. Nearly seventy percent fewer electric vehicles sold compared to the same quarter last year. Hybrid vehicles didn't fare much better, down 19.4%, and when you combine all electrified vehicles, sales fell 34.8%. Meanwhile, traditional internal combustion vehicles also declined, with trucks dropping 11.3% and SUVs falling 7.8%. The one bright spot? Cars actually surged 50.1%, though that's coming off what Ford calls "a low base"—meaning they weren't selling many cars to begin with.
Within specific models, the picture gets more interesting. The Explorer gained 29.7%, the Expedition jumped 30.2%, and the Ranger increased 19.2%. But the F-Series, Ford's flagship truck line, fell 16.0%, the Maverick dropped 10.9%, and the Escape plummeted 66.8%. The Ford brand overall saw sales decline 9.2%, while Lincoln remained relatively stable with just a 0.5% dip—gains in Aviator and Navigator offsetting declines in Corsair and Nautilus.
"The first quarter showed our team worked hard to maintain retail share and navigate a changing industry, while underlying demand remains strong for F-Series, SUVs and the Ford Pro business," said Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue and Model e. "We're focusing on our high-demand segment strengths while continuing to meet the needs of our customers with affordable and premium vehicle choices."
Translation: We're leaning into what's working (trucks, commercial vehicles) while figuring out what to do about the EV situation.
