Ford intends to let buyers either order electric vehicles online or straight through a dealership, according to CEO Jim Farley, who made the announcement during a call with investors to discuss the company’s second-quarter results.
This eCommerce strategy may help Ford reach its goal of producing 2 million electric vehicles annually by 2026. Farley emphasized the importance of a good eCommerce platform in a comment where he stated customers need to “have a very predictable experience, whether they’re in a dealership or in their bunny slippers, and they’ll have a very simple, transparent, very easy purchase process.”
Ford is running its business with two separate divisions focusing on both gas-powered and electric cars. According to Farley, electric car buyers may order the vehicles online, and dealers would be responsible for servicing and delivering them. He added that maintaining a smaller on-site inventory of vehicles would be advantageous for dealers.
According to CNBC, analysts have questioned Ford’s goals, arguing that supply chain constraints, the cost of raw materials, and other legacy concerns might make them unattainable.
Ford distributes its vehicles through a network of franchisees, unlike Tesla, which has its own internal network of sales and service facilities.
According to Farley, the model places Ford at a $2,000 deficit per vehicle when compared to its “pure-play” rivals.
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