April 17th is recognized as Ford Mustang Day worldwide, and as this beloved classic celebrates its 59th anniversary, it remains the best-selling sports car globally for the last 10 years. Taiwanese car enthusiasts, however, have even more reason to celebrate, as the latest electric Mustang crossover is set to finally arrive in Taiwan.
Since its debut in 1964, the Ford Mustang has become a symbol for contemporary American pop culture, appearing in over 3,000 movies worldwide. The Mustang is not only a sports car with consistently strong sales over the past 10 years but also serves as a testament to the free-spirited nature of the American people. Ford’s internal data reveals that the United States remains the best-selling market for the Mustang, accounting for 78% of global sales. On top of that, a number of markets reported sales growth in 2022, including Germany at 17%, the UK at 14.4%, Switzerland at 14.9%, and the Middle East at 7.4%.
Ford has incorporated electrification and zero-emissions technology into its Mustang lineup while continuing to maintain that classic design. Since its launch, 150,000 units of the Ford Mustang Mach-E have been produced, and it is now confirmed that the model will enter Taiwanese and Australian markets in the second half of the year—expanding the Mach-E’s sales reach to 39 countries.
Despite Ford’s ongoing struggle with production capacity, the company is confident in achieving sales of 600,000 EVs by 2023. The introduction of the Mach-E to Taiwan demonstrates a gradual increase in production capacity that allows Ford to supply more markets. The Mach-E is undoubtedly an excellent vehicle—ranking top three in US sales in 2022—and overall the model has achieved a balance in terms of range, price, interior space, and technological performance.
However, entering the Taiwanese EV market presents significant challenges, with two major factors posing difficulties for Ford: First, pricing will be a hurdle, especially as Tesla continues to reduce prices. The Mach-E’s price in Taiwan is unlikely to be lower than the Model Y, which could significantly impact sales.
Second, charging infrastructure also remains a challenge. Although automakers claim support from numerous third-party charging service providers, Tesla’s self-built Supercharger stations are set to reach 80 locations this year, offering not only denser coverage but also greater convenience than third-parties. Under these dual advantages, any competitor in the same class as Tesla would find it difficult to survive in Taiwan. However, perhaps the Mustang’s allure will enable it to be an exception?
(Image Source: Ford)