Ford announced this morning that it was slashing prices of all trims of its Ford Mustang Mach-E, while dramatically increasing production.
Tesla’s aggressive price cut at the beginning of this month has caused massive waves within the automotive industry and the car market, as competitors and car sellers alike are forced to battle with the aggressive new pricing. Now, Ford has done just that by rapidly increasing production of its popular Mustang Mach-E EV SUV and subsequently slashing prices.
According to Ford’s press release this morning, the Ford Mustang Mach-E’s price will be cut by as much as $5,900 on the top trim model and $900 off the base model vehicle. Ford did not specify the scale of the upcoming production increase. However, the company noted that it “has secured the batteries and raw material to scale production of [electric vehicles] in 2023.”
| 2023 Mustang Mach-E
|
Former MSRP -->
|
Updated MSRP
|
Delta
|
||
| Select RWD Standard Range
Select eAWD Standard Range California Route 1 eAWD Extended Range -->Premium RWD Standard Range Premium eAWD Standard Range GT Extended Range |
$ 46,895
$ 49,595 $ 63,575 -->$ 54,975 $ 57,675 $ 69,895 |
$45,995
$48,995 $57,995 -->$50,995 $53,995 $63,995 |
$ 900
$ 600 $5,580 -->$3,980 $3,680 $5,900 |
||
| Extended Range Battery
Nite Pony Appearance Package GT Performance Package |
$ 8,600 --> $ 800 $ 6,000 |
$7,000
$ 800 $6,000 |
$1,600
$ 0 -->$ 0 |
Ford did not specify if a price cut would come to the company’s other incredibly popular EV offerings, including the Ford F-150 Lightning and the E Transit. Still, with production increases already underway for both models, a similar price cut could be possible in the near future. This is only compounded by the fact that Ford is closer than ever to securing its own battery supply through its partnership with SK ON. This partnership could result in reduced battery and (ultimately) vehicle costs.
“We are not going to cede ground to anyone. We are producing more EVs to reduce customer wait times, offering competitive pricing, and working to create an ownership experience that is second to none,” said Marin Gjaja, Chief Customer Officer of Ford Model e. “Our customers are at the center of everything we do – as we continue to build thrilling and exciting electric vehicles, we will continue to push the boundaries to make EVs more accessible for everybody.”
Ford CEO Jim Farley had similarly positive comments on the price cut, noting the goal of making EVs “more accessible.”
At @Ford, we want to make EVs more accessible, so we’re increasing #MustangMachE production & reducing prices across the Mach-E lineup. Scaling will shorten customer wait times. And with higher production, we’re reducing costs, which allows us share these savings with customers.
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) January 30, 2023
-->While this aggressive price cut is great news for consumers and fantastic news for the EV market that looks to overtake gas vehicle sales as soon as possible, perhaps current owners will be most affected by the price cut.
The best example of this externality is already on display in the used Tesla market, where current sellers have found their vehicles undercut by cheaper new offerings from Tesla. This price bubble was bound to burst sometime or another, and sellers have been caught unprepared and may be forced to take a rare loss on their Tesla vehicle.
Looking at Ford Mustang Mach-Es currently on the market, sellers are in for a similarly rude awakening. Some Mach-Es are currently on the used market for as much as $10,000 over sticker, with the average used Mach-E only price equivalent to the new price set by Ford.
As EVs continue to decrease in price over the next couple of months and years, no doubt used EVs will follow as competitive manufacturer prices force the market downward. Hopefully, these combined factors will mean that more and more people can get into electric vehicles sooner than previously anticipated.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
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News
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
Tesla will expand its factory shuttle service in Germany beginning January 4, adding direct rail trips from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Giga Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide.
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
New shuttle route
As noted in a report from rbb24, the updated service, which will start January 4, will run between the Berlin Ostbahnhof East Station and the Erkner Station at the Gigafactory Berlin complex. Tesla stated that the timetable mirrors shift changes for the facility’s employees, and similar to before, the service will be completely free. The train will offer six direct trips per day as well.
“The service includes six daily trips, which also cover our shift times. The trains will run between Berlin Ostbahnhof (with a stop at Ostkreuz) and Erkner station to the Gigafactory,” Tesla Germany stated.
Even with construction continuing at Fangschleuse and Köpenick stations, the company said the route has been optimized to maintain a predictable 35-minute travel time. The update follows earlier phases of Tesla’s “Giga Train” program, which initially connected Erkner to the factory grounds before expanding to Berlin-Lichtenberg.
-->Tesla pushes for majority rail commuting
Tesla began production at Grünheide in March 2022, and the factory’s workforce has since grown to around 11,500 employees, with an estimated 60% commuting from Berlin. The facility produces the Model Y, Tesla’s best-selling vehicle, for both Germany and other territories.
The company has repeatedly emphasized its goal of having more than half its staff use public transportation rather than cars, positioning the shuttle as a key part of that initiative. In keeping with the factory’s sustainability focus, Tesla continues to allow even non-employees to ride the shuttle free of charge, making it a broader mobility option for the area.
News
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
The Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km.
Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y once again led the field in a new real-world energy-consumption test conducted by China’s Autohome, outperforming numerous rival electric vehicles in controlled conditions.
The results, which placed both Teslas in the top two spots, prompted Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun to acknowledge Tesla’s efficiency advantage while noting that his company’s vehicles will continue refining its own models to close the gap.
Tesla secures top efficiency results
Autohome’s evaluation placed all vehicles under identical conditions, such as a full 375-kg load, cabin temperature fixed at 24°C on automatic climate control, and a steady cruising speed of 120 km/h. In this environment, the Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km, as noted in a Sina News report.
These figures positioned Tesla’s vehicles firmly at the top of the ranking and highlighted their continued leadership in long-range efficiency. The test also highlighted how drivetrain optimization, software management, and aerodynamic profiles remain key differentiators in high-speed, cold-weather scenarios where many electric cars struggle to maintain low consumption.
Xiaomi’s Lei Jun pledges to continue learning from Tesla
Following the results, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun noted that the Xiaomi SU7 actually performed well overall but naturally consumed more energy due to its larger C-segment footprint and higher specification. He reiterated that factors such as size and weight contributed to the difference in real-world consumption compared to Tesla. Still, the executive noted that Xiaomi will continue to learn from the veteran EV maker.
“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.
-->Lei Jun has repeatedly described Tesla as the global benchmark for EV efficiency, previously stating that Xiaomi may require three to five years to match its leadership. He has also been very supportive of FSD, even testing the system in the United States.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reveals what will make Optimus’ ridiculous production targets feasible
Musk recent post suggests that Tesla has a plan to attain Optimus’ production goals.
Elon Musk subtly teased Tesla’s strategy to achieve Optimus’ insane production volume targets. The CEO has shared his predictions about Optimus’ volume, and they are so ambitious that one would mistake them for science fiction.
Musk’s recent post on X, however, suggests that Tesla has a plan to attain Optimus’ production goals.
The highest volume product
Elon Musk has been pretty clear about the idea of Optimus being Tesla’s highest-volume product. During the Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk stated that the humanoid robot will see “the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever,” starting with a one-million-per-year line at the Fremont Factory.
Following this, Musk stated that Giga Texas will receive a 10 million-per-year unit Optimus line. But even at this level, the Optimus ramp is just beginning, as the production of the humanoid robot will only accelerate from there. At some point, the CEO stated that a Mars location could even have a 100 million-unit-per-year production line, resulting in up to a billion Optimus robots being produced per year.
Self-replication is key
During the weekend, Musk posted a short message that hinted at Tesla’s Optimus strategy. “Optimus will be the Von Neumann probe,” the CEO wrote in his post. This short comment suggests that Tesla will not be relying on traditional production systems to make Optimus. The company probably won’t even hire humans to produce the humanoid robot at one point. Instead, Optimus robots could simply produce other Optimus robots, allowing them to self-replicate.
-->The Von Neumann is a hypothetical self-replicating spacecraft proposed by the mathematician and physicist John von Neumann in the 1940s–1950s. The hypothetical machine in the concept would be able to travel to a new star system or location, land, mine, and extract raw materials from planets, asteroids, and moons as needed, use those materials to manufacture copies of itself, and launch the new copies toward other star systems.
If Optimus could pull off this ambitious target, the humanoid robot would indeed be the highest volume product ever created. It could, as Musk predicted, really change the world.
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
