Following in the footsteps of auto manufacturers such as Jeep, Mercedes, and Porsche, Ford Motor Company has announced it is getting into the e-bike business. The auto manufacturer is entering a partnership with N+ to offer a Ford branded line of e-bikes. The partnership will produce e-bikes styled after Ford’s two most iconic brands: the Mustang and the Bronco. Much like its namesake, the Bronco will be designed for high-performance both on- and off-road. It will reach a top speed of 28mph with a range of 60 miles. The Mustang will be available in both a “regular” version and a 60th Anniversary Special Edition. It will have similar speed and battery life as the Bronco but will be designed for primarily on-road use.
The Mustang and Bronco e-bikes will start at $4,000 and $4,500, respectively. This is much higher than the average e-bike price of $2,500, but not quite as high as the Porsche-branded e-bike, which starts at around $10,000. Of the other auto manufacturers that have entered the e-bike market, some have been successful and some have failed. So, it’s hard to say how Ford’s e-bikes will perform. Hopefully, they will do better than Ford’s electric cars and trucks have.
Discussion Questions:
- What advantages to e-bike manufacturers receive when they partner with auto manufacturers to use their brand name?
- What happens to price elasticity of demand for Jeep e-bikes when Ford enters the e-bike market?
Source|The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/7/24214731/ford-ebike-bronco-mustang-specs-price-photos; Porsche: https://shop.porsche.com/us/en-US/c/e-bikes; Ny Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/21/business/economy/ford-ev-plant-delay.html; Unsplash: Photo by James Lee on Unsplash