2023.5 Ford Mustang Mach-E BlueCruise Subscription Renewal Gets Big Price Increase

Featured Sponsor

Store	Link	Sample Product
UK Artful Impressions	Premiere Etsy Store

For years, we have published about price increases applied to of tesla Complete Self-Drive Package: Starting at $5,000 in 2019 to an option for $15,000 now. Ford BlueCruise for the Mustang Mach-E It doesn’t cost as much, but it’s not as cheap as it used to be either. Through carcoopsto member of MachEForum noticed a document from Ford earlier this month that reports that after BlueCruise’s trial period ends in a 2023.5 Mustang Mach-E, owners can “later activate the technology via an annual subscription ($800/year) or monthly ($75/month)”. The short story is that many Mach-E buyers and owners expected to pay a renewal price of $600 for three years, or $200 per year. The new pricing means renewal costs $800 in a lump sum or $900 paid over the course of a year.

The long story is… it’s complicated. BlueCruise pricing has fluctuated since the release of Mach-E, as have MSRPs and all other vehicle options. On top of that, Ford has taken various approaches to breaking down hardware and software prices based on model year and trim. An owner on the forum posted a window sticker showing a charge of $1,900 for Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0 BlueCruise for your 2021 Mustang Mach-E. On the other hand, a 2023 Mustang Mach-E GT for sale in California at the time of writing, it shows BlueCruise 1.2 included in the MSRP. On some other models, just before the last change, Ford charged $1,500 for the hardware and $600 to cover a three-year subscription, which is why buyers have zeroed in on the $200-per-year price. Buyers have also mentioned being told dealers that the renewal price would be $200 per year.

Perhaps trying to keep things simple, Ford stated that for all 2023.5 model years, BlueCruise is a three-year, $2,100 active option. This converted the same dollar amount to a lump sum instead of its more recent format ($1,500 + $600 = $2,100). Regardless of the introduction, BlueCruise remained a $700 per year option for the first three years by paying off the hardware expense.

What angered forum members is that the price of the BlueCruise option for a new Mach-E has been labeled as paying for hardware. and software. Once they’ve paid for the hardware, the reasoning goes, for something like $1,500 or $1,900 or whatever, you’d think the software renewal price would only need to cover software upgrades, now a familiar practice among all. those who use computer programs. They expected the renewal price to be $200 per year. Instead, BlueCruise’s least expensive renewal amount of $800 per year costs more than the average price of hardware and software when buying the new Mach-E.

A Ford representative appeared in the forum thread. to confirm the new price. The automaker’s clarification also noted an exception; those who took home a 2021 Mach-E with the BlueCruise option, like the aforementioned buyer who paid for the $1,900 option, can renew at the price of $200 per year for another three years. These vehicles had the hardware installed after delivery. When the second three-year renewal period ends, those owners will join the $800 per year or $75 per month tier like everyone else.

Or, more likely, everyone will pay more. It should be clear by now that prices will rise.

Since every Mach-E comes with BlueCruise hardware, customers who don’t purchase the option get a 90-day free trial period. If they want to sign up after those 90 days, they pay the price of $800 or $900 per year. These buyers will spend $300 to $600 more in the first three years for not choosing the factory option.

This sounds like a case of poor communication about hardware and software pricing from Ford, or Ford realizing how expensive it is to start an EV business and how vital it is to get more money right away. Whatever it is, Ford is not alone on either count. Despite multiple manufacturers’ MSRP price cuts of late, including ford, the much more consistent story has been regular and occasionally jaw-dropping price increases on nearly every EV under $100,000. The EV revolution will not only be televised, but it will be incredibly expensive for everyone.