Aussie drivers are increasingly spoiled for choice when considering an electric vehicle, prompting car makers to trim costs to make their cars more attractive.
Entry prices for the new Ford Mach-E Select have dropped by $7000 following a reduction from $79,990 to $72,990 plus on-road costs.
The mid-grade Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium now costs $86,990, or $4675 less than before.
Fully-loaded Mustang Mach-E GT models had a less generous price reduction of $2675, taking them to $104,990 plus on-road costs.
Crucially, the price reductions help the mid level Mach-E Premium slip under the luxury car tax threshold, making it eligible for attractive fringe benefits tax concessions.
Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic said it was a win for consumers.
“This price reduction is a major positive for our customers and demonstrates our commitment to delivering the best products and great value to our customers,” he said.
“As the EV market continues to evolve, we are responding to it.”
The move comes as rival brands sharpen their pencils.
Hyundai slashed the entry price of its Ioniq 6 electric car by $8500 in November, introducing a basic version with less equipment than models that launched earlier this year.
Tesla’s price department has introduced more cuts than a fashion-forward hairdresser in the last couple of years, regularly shifting the price of its Model 3 and Model Y duo – usually downward.
And impressive new machines such as the BYD Seal continue to pile on the pressure for established manufacturers.
The Seal sedan delivers more than 500 kilometres of range for about $51,000 drive-away in entry-level trim, giving mainstream brands a headache.
Volkswagen and Toyota have not published launch prices for their first electric cars, which are due to reach Australian showrooms next year.
Downward price pressure from rival machines could make cars such as the Toyota bZ4X and VW’s ID.4 and ID.5 duo cheaper than expected, though we wouldn’t expect change from $80,000 drive-away for any of them.