Ford to take on Tesla in China with locally made Mach-E

Ford Motor Co is pushing forward its localization strategy into the electric vehicle sector with the China-made electric Mustang Mach-E.

The model, launched last week in Shanghai, is the first electric vehicle of the second largest US carmaker built on a new, electric platform. It is also the first China-made Mustang model.

The vehicle, produced by Changan Ford, will be delivered in the second half of the year to take on its rivals, in particular Tesla's Model Y.

"Globally, we have one and only rival, the Model Y," said Izzy Zhu, chief operating officer of Ford China's electric car unit.

In the United States, around 70 percent of Mach-E sales came from Tesla in the first quarter this year.

Ford called the model an "electric pony", saying it inherits the Mustang's iconic sportscar performance and delivers exciting driving pleasure.

Its performance version can accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 3.7 seconds. Six cameras and 17 radars come as standard, and Ford's Level 2 Co-Pilot driving-assist functions are available as well.

The China-made model has more Chinese features, as part of the carmaker's "Best of Ford, Best of China" strategy unveiled in 2019.

Among other things, it sports batteries from China's BYD. Ford also partners with Baidu to develop the infotainment system for the vehicle.

The carmaker has built NEV research and development facilities in the country.

In terms of charging, Ford has inked a deal with China's leading startup Nio so Mach-E users can charge their vehicles at Nio's pillars.

Zhu said Mach-E owners can also have access to over 300,000 public charging pillars in 340 cities across the country.

It will build showrooms in 20 Chinese cities this year and sell vehicles directly to customers at fixed prices, as several carmakers do.

"The direct sales mode would save them from the unpleasant experience of haggling for a better price and visiting different shops to compare prices," said Florian-Frederik Deutgen, director of automotive, strategy and consulting at Accenture Greater China.