Sales of Ford Motor Co.'s electric vehicles surged in the third quarter, contributing to an 8.2% increase in U.S. sales for the July-September period.

The up-to-$7,500 federal tax credit for plug-in vehicles expired on Tuesday, resulting in a burst of EV buying activity before consumers lost their chance. Ford EV sales rose 85% in September and 30% for the quarter. Overall, the automaker added 545,522 in sales for the quarter and 166,003 last month, a 12% increase.

Ford and competitor General Motors Co., however, have employed a scheme to offer taxpayer-supported discounts on in-stock EVs beyond the deadline. Ford says it's seeking to make affordable lease payments available through the end of the year.

The companies rolled out programs to their dealers ahead of the tax credit's expiration that had their financing arms purchase EVs in dealers’ inventory by making down payments on them. That allows the incentive to be offered on EV leases of existing stock into the fourth quarter. Those vehicles aren't reflected in third-quarter sales, spokesperson Said Deep confirmed.

General Motors Co. on Wednesday reported a 7.7% year-over-year increase in U.S. sales to more than 710,000 vehicles, including doubling its EV sales in the quarter. Stellantis NV has yet to report its sales for the quarter.

Still, the chance of missing out on the tax credit contributed to a 51% increase in Mustang Mach-E SUV sales, a record, and a 40% hike for the F-150 Lightning truck for a record third quarter. The E-Transit commercial van, though, declined 85%.

Nonetheless, fully gas- and diesel-powered vehicles represented 84% of sales. Hybrids grew by 15%. Trucks rose 7.4%, SUVs increased by 9.7% and the Mustang grew by 2.5%. The Ford brand rose by 9.1%, while the luxury Lincoln brand fell by 7.6%. Overall sales for the automaker just missed dealer services provider Cox Automotive Inc.'s forecast for an 8.4% quarterly increase.

“This quarter's growth showcases our portfolio's unmatched flexibility and breadth,” Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue and Model e, said in a statement. “We saw strong performance in gas, hybrid, and electrified powertrains, while at the same time growing our paid software solutions, all embedded in vehicles such as Expedition, Explorer and F-150.”

Top-selling F-Series trucks were up 4.7%, surpassing 600,000 pickups in 2025. Within that, the hybrid version rose 10%, and Super Duty grew by 4.7%. The Maverick small truck increased 9.3% for a third-quarter record with a 12% increase in the hybrid model, and the midsize Ranger declined 1.3%. Transit, Ford's third best-seller, increased 32%.

Ford's top-selling SUV, the Explorer, rose 33%. Expedition hiked 47%, its best third quarter in 20 years. Bronco increased by 41% for a best third quarter, but Bronco Sport and Escape were each down 11%.

New variants, including the off-road-oriented Explorer Tremor and F-150 Lobo street truck, launch in the fourth quarter.

At Lincoln, only the Navigator increased 11%. Corsair fell 2.6%, Nautilus was down 12% and Aviator dropped 21%.

Elsewhere, Kia Corp. recorded a best third quarter for U.S. sales, up 9% year-over-year. Hyundai Motor Co. had a record third quarter, up 13%, and EVs doubled.

©2025 www.detroitnews.com. Visit at detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.