Ford’s 2021 sales fall 6.8%, but company ends with strong fourth quarter

Ford autos are viewed on the product sales great deal at the Helfman Ford dealership on Oct 28, 2021 in Houston, Texas.

Brandon Bell | Getty Photos

DETROIT – Ford Motor’s gross sales last year declined 6.8% in comparison to 2020, but the automaker explained it created strides towards the conclusion of the calendar year in beating disruptions induced by an ongoing semiconductor chip shortage.

The Detroit automaker on Wednesday explained it offered 508,451 cars in the fourth quarter, a 27% enhance in excess of the earlier quarter — far superior than the industry’s decline of about 3% in the course of that time period.

Stock jumped in December to 247,000 vehicles, up 22,000 from November, a turnaround from previously in the 12 months brought on by the chip lack.

‘Turbulent and dynamic’ calendar year

Andrew Frick, vice president of Ford revenue in the U.S. and Canada, explained 2021 as “turbulent and dynamic” during a simply call with reporters. He claimed the enterprise was “pleased” with Ford’s end for the 12 months.

Overall, the U.S. automotive sector marketed 15.1 million vehicles in 2021 irrespective of major supply chain disruptions and the lingering influence of the coronavirus pandemic, according to industry tracker Autodata. It was the weakest profits year because 2012.

Ford offered 1.9 million cars, down 6.8% from 2020. That taken care of its third-put U.S. income situation powering Typical Motors and Toyota Motor, which dethroned GM in U.S. sales soon after a 90-12 months operate as the No. 1 American automaker.

EV sales progress

Ford also beat out GM to develop into the country’s second ideal-providing automaker of all-electric autos guiding Tesla.

Ford sold 27,140 of its Mustang Mach-E EVs, eclipsing the 24,828 profits total of GM’s Chevrolet Bolt EV types and a person Hummer EV in 2021. Each are minuscule in comparison with Tesla, which does not report U.S. revenue, but explained it shipped a file 936,172 EVs globally final calendar year.

GM also had to largely prevent generating Bolt EVs due to a remember of the vehicle’s batteries that could cause a hearth. However, Ford’s Frick stated the automaker is established to outsell GM in EVs in 2022.

“Which is our aspiration to become the distinct No. 2 electric motor vehicle maker in the following few yrs,” he said, citing greater output of the Mustang Mach-E and the launch of electric powered versions of the F-150 pickup and Transit van. “That of course just puts us in a a lot much better situation” to do so.