FOND DU LAC, Wis. — Willie Beyer uses words like snappy when talking about getting behind the wheel of the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
It’s one of the manufacturer’s electric vehicles.
“It’s exciting. It’s making The Jetsons-type things kind of come to life,” said Beyer, who is the chief operating officer at Holiday Automotive in Fond du Lac. “We’re not flying around in these cars yet, but the technology is really starting to be very futuristic.”
Ford recently released its annual sales figures for 2024. It showed a 38% year over year increase in sales of electric vehicles.
It’s a trend that has carried over to Holiday Automotive, where Beyer said sales and leases are increasing.
“Ford has made a really big push for EV sales. The Mach-E, which we’re in right now, this is the first time that an EV Mach-E has outsold the original Mustang,” Beyer said. “There’s a big move towards EVs from a performance standpoint on these vehicles.”
Both Ford and General Motors reported increased EV sales last year. For instance, GM reported a 50% increase.
People move to electric for a number of reasons. Brian Hankes of Wauwatosa bought his Tesla in 2023.
“After driving probably six different cars, this one kind of hit the right spot of range, speed of charging as well as size of the vehicle,” he said.
Hankes said he had to overcome some initial range anxiety while traveling the state for work.
“Infrastructure was one of the reasons I chose the Tesla,” he said. “The Tesla infrastructure here in Wisconsin is fairly robust, and the navigation always tells you exactly where to stop and how long you’re going to need to charge.”
Among the first executive orders signed by President Donald Trump was one that took aim at halting Biden-era measures to encourage the production and sales of electric vehicles and growth of supporting infrastructure.
It likely includes ending some EV tax credits. Beyer said he doesn’t foresee a dramatic impact.
“I don’t think there will be much. I think the manufacturers have put a lot of money and assets into developing EV technology in these vehicles,” he said. “Where possibly that credit goes away, I think the manufacturer would incentivize these vehicles. They’re really committed to an EV future.”
At the end of last week, the U.S. Department of Transporation announced it was pausing a $5 billion grant program to help states build electric vehicle charging stations. It could have impacts on rural parts of Wisconsin, where Gov. Tony Evers has been working to build up EV infrastructure.