Ford Motor Co. reported on Tuesday that it sold 501,291 vehicles in the United States in the first quarter of this year, down 1.3 percent year on year.

Nevertheless, the U.S. automaker sold 199,672 vehicles in March, up 10 percent year on year.

Ford attributed the sales drop in the first quarter to the timing on Ford's rental fleet sales, and the end of production of some models, such as the Ford Edge SUV and the Transit Connect van.

March sales increase came as consumers rushed to buy before the 25-percent tariffs on imported cars and auto parts go into action on April 3.

In the first quarter, Ford sold 73,623 electric vehicles, up by 25.5 percent and representing 15 percent of the company's total sales, including 22,550 all-electric vehicles, up 11.5 percent year on year, and 51,073 hybrid models, up 33 percent. Ford's sales of internal combustion engine vehicles, which accounted for 85 percent of its sales, fell 4.8 percent.

Ford F-Series sales rose 38 percent in March, leading to a first quarter increase of 24 percent on sales of 190,389 pickups. However, the all-electric F-150 Lightning was down 7.2 percent for the first quarter.

Ford SUV sales declined by 16.7 percent year on year to 201,527 vehicles sold in the first quarter.