AM Radio Is Back in Ford EVs by Popular Demand
When was the last time you used the AM radio in your vehicle? Electric vehicles like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E recently proved that AM radio might be more popular than you think. Ford made a massive mistake by removing this function, but it’s coming back.
Do Ford EVs have AM radio?
Yes and no. Some electric Ford vehicles do still have AM radio functionality. But AM radio was removed in the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning and Ford Mustang Mach-E.
Ford actually planned to drop AM radio in most of its vehicles, except for commercial options. Some people claimed that AM radio could interfere with an electric vehicle’s performance, but Ford shared that this isn’t true. AM radio works just fine.
It was really dropped due to declining popularity. Many sports broadcasts, weather updates, and talk shows on AM radio have been losing listeners.
I understand this a little. As a child riding in the car as my Dad looked for baseball games across broadband radio stations was so boring.
The static was annoying, you could barely hear what was going on. But as an adult, it’s come in handy for listening to football games even with the static.
AM radio is returning to Ford EVs because the move ruffled the feathers of those who love AM radio, They banded together to complain about the missing feature.
Plus, lawmakers are concerned that the lack of AM radio could impact emergency emergency broadcast situations. This promoted a few to introduce a bill that required automakers to retain this feature.
You can stream AM radio through mobile apps, FM, digital, and satellite radio options, but that’s not good enough. The removal could still cause communication issues during emergencies.
I usually get my emergency broadcasts on my phone when a siren louder than Jake brakes randomly blares due to an Amber alert. But I can imagine scenarios in which AM radio would be beneficial, like in snow storms.
Not only will 2024 Ford EV models have AM radio, but Ford is going back and adding AM radio to the 2023 models without it.
AM radio functionality is being returned to these vehicles via an over-the-air update. The update is being rolled out over time, so some drivers may get it before others.
