Ford wants dealers to rent out Mustang Mach-Es

You might start seeing more Ford Mustang Mach-Es on the road soon, but they won’t be customer cars. The automaker recently implemented a new policy to allow 2023 Mustang Mach-Es to be used as rentals in dealers’ fleets.

CarsDirect found the memo, which went into effect on January 15. The move lets dealers use the 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E in Dealer Daily Rental (DDR) and Ford Rent-A-Car programs. Ford wants “to potentially increase the number of electric vehicles (EVs) in loaner service and support the launch of the Model e Pickup and Delivery with a Loaner standard.” The automaker also said renting Mach-Es would allow its non-Model e dealers to have EVs available for customers.

The 2024 Mach-E is not eligible for the program, but as CarsDirect reported, there are still as many as 17,000 2023 models on dealers’ lots. Ford is giving dealers a $1,750 discount called an “off invoice credit” on the Premium and GT trims, making converting older EVs a potentially lucrative move for franchise stores.

It’s worth noting that the 2024 Mach-E is not yet listed on Ford’s consumer site, though the automaker has announced special editions and pricing for some variants. The move to rent the vehicle could lead to a load of used Mach-Es on sale down the road, but this is a good way for dealers to get rid of slow-selling inventory.

The EV is not eligible for federal tax credits under the new rules, so it’s a prudent move from Ford to keep vehicles moving. The competitive Tesla Model Y is eligible and is the best-selling EV in the world, making it even more vital for the Mach-E to perform. Ford has also slowed production of the F-150 Lightning in the face of wavering demand, so its electric business needs all the momentum it can get.