Ford Pushes Its Deadline Backwards For Dealers To Opt-In For EV Sales

A few Ford dealers need more time to make a decision.

According to a report from Automotive News, Ford’s pushing back its plan for dealerships to opt-in by October 31st on whether or not they will sell EVs. Remember, this plan involves a lot of work, namely pricy training, and infrastructure upgrades (like installing DC fast chargers and level 2 chargers) to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some dealers reportedly need more time to make a decision, so Ford has pushed the deadline back to December 2.

Ford hasn’t said which dealers have expressed the need for more time, nor has it released the figures on how many dealerships have opted into the new program. If dealers don’t opt into one of the two tiers of EV sales, then they will only be allowed to sell Ford’s traditional ICE-powered vehicles. If the dealership were to change its mind after the deadline, Ford says a new enrollment period won’t open up until sometime in 2027.

Also, Ford’s EV dealership plans require dealers to sell vehicles at fixed, but set by the dealer, pricing. The lower-tier EV sales certification requires customers to order their vehicles, not allowing dealerships to carry any EV inventory at all. Not every state’s dealer association is happy about this, but so far, it doesn’t seem like any legal action has been levied against Ford because of its plan.

By contrast, Lincoln’s EV sales plan has a December 15 deadline, but it doesn’t have the hard limits and caveats that Ford’s plan does.

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