Ford official takes veiled dig at Tesla, says Mach-E's 'roof doesn't come off'

The bitter battle for a larger share of the electric vehicle pie is getting even more bitter as traditional giants of the automobile industry dig in to possibly eat into the dominance enjoyed by Tesla. And Ford is looking at its Mach-E to issue a clarion call, underlining that there would be no compromise on quality in its latest electric vehicle which has already hit delivery cycle in the US.

A Ford official in an interview recently said that the quality of Mach-E is for all to see, and took what is being widely seen as a veiled dig at quality concerns reported in recent times by several Tesla owners. Speaking about the Mach-E, Darren Palmer - head of development for Ford and Lincoln's battery-electric vehicle, pointed out what the EV won't suffer from. "The doors fit properly, the plastics and other materials color-match, the bumpers don’t fall off, the roof doesn’t come off when you wash it, the door handles don’t get stuck in cold weather."

All of these have been issues of concerns in a few units of Tesla and as such, Palmer's comment, while not naming Tesla, is seen as a dig at the California-based company.

While it is true that there have been incidents reported where a Tesla car's roof has flown off, door fits have been shoddy and other quality-related issues, it is also true that these have been in some units only and that CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly told his team to up the standards to avoid post-sales complications.

Many feel that it is because of Tesla's rapid expansion plans that some quality-related issued may have crept in. But while quality remains a key concern for new buyers, Ford - and other traditional car makers - will have to do a whole lot to create a dent in Tesla's global EV market share.