A U.S.-based dealership selling Ford car parts has asked $23,650 for a new battery block for the Mustang Mach-E crossover, nearly half the price of the vehicle itself and $1,450 more than a brand new Maverick pickup costs. Reddit users have shared similar stories, including even more extreme examples.
Carscoops points out that the asking price was posted for the largest, 98.8-kWh traction battery. The smallest battery pack is considerably less expensive, but these prices do not include delivery fees, so customers often end up paying an amount they could spend on a new ICE car instead. A new Mustang Mach-E starts from $43,895, while the Maverick pickup can be obtained for barely more than $20,000.
A Redditor has shared a screenshot with a calculated cost of a battery: $54,685. Even if we were to assume Canadian dollars were used (which is most likely the case), it would translate into $42,600 USD – still a giant sum comparable to buying a brand new car.
What are the reasons behind such outrageous prices? Our opinion is that the manufacturer intentionally sets prohibitive prices on battery packs to incentivize buyers to ditch their old EVs and buy new ones.