As EV Sales Falter, Ford Hybrids Are Picking Up The Slack

If there is one thing to notice about the automotive world lately, it is that electric vehicles (EVs) aren’t exactly setting the world on fire. Indeed, Torque News has pointed this out in several stories that examined EV sales in general. To meet the faltering demand Ford has cut the output of F-150 Lightning Pickups.

Hybrids Are Alternative To EVs

Why is this so? According to various automotive observers, many potential buyers are looking at the pricing of EVs and saying there must be an alternative to EVs, which are still too pricey for many buyers. Other observers have looked at the market, and while they agree that many EVs are too highly priced, they are also saying that buyers are just reluctant to get into a vehicle that doesn’t have an internal combustion engine (ICE) available as a backup.

Which view is correct? It is likely a combination of both points of view. Certainly, EVs are much more expensive than ICE vehicles. Almost equally, though, many potential buyers are put off by relying only on batteries to keep vehicles moving.

Ford Explorer Hybrid is so popular with police the automaker has canceled non-police deliveries.

Look at the 2023 Ford Escape Hybrid. It has emerged, says the Ford Authority, one of the critical, independent sources of Ford news, as a leading 2023 contender.

Escape Hybrid Is A Big Hit

The Escape Hybrid “has been a hit among new-vehicle shoppers and critics.” The “crossover has earned accolades, including landing on Kelley Blue Book’s list of the most-considered electrified vehicles on sale.”

Further, the Ford Authority (FA) notes that the Escape is “one of the best American vehicles one can buy from, Consumer Reports.”

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And FA notes that iSeeCars, one of the leading independent data sources on the automotive market, has “cut as one of the top 10 fastest selling new vehicles on the market.”

Maverick Is Popular Compact Hybrid Pickup

Indeed, there’s another Ford hybrid on that track. The Ford Maverick, a super-popular compact pickup offered in hybrid and strictly ICE versions, is one of the fastest-selling pickups on the market.

Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971. His automotive articles have appeared in venues including Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and others. You can follow Marc on Twitter or Facebook.