The Ford F-150 Lightning The electric pickup truck could be more of a flash in the pan than the company’s next Model T as it was once announced.
Sources told The Wall Street Journal Ford executives are reportedly considering axing the F-150 Lightning due to slow sales and high losses.
Production of the F-150 Lightning has been paused indefinitely since mid-October following a fire at an aluminum factory in upstate New York.
Unlike other full-size utes, the F-150’s body is made of aluminum, and with one of Ford’s key suppliers now offline well into 2026, the company has prioritized production of the F-150’s highly profitable gasoline and hybrid models. In addition to halting Lightning production, these employees will be relocated to factories that produce gasoline and hybrid F-150 pickups.
In October, Ford Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra told the media, “Whenever we are ready, we will ramp up (production of the F-150 Lightning).” But it’s possible that this will never happen.
On September 30, a US federal government tax rebate of up to US$7,500 (AUD$11,500) for electric vehicles ended, bringing forward the purchase of many electric vehicles.
While some manufacturers have subsequently slashed prices and some states still offer their own electric vehicle tax rebates, electric vehicle sales are widely expected to decline, particularly at the high end of the market.
This is the space occupied by the F-150 Lightning, as the price point is US$54,780 (A$84,500), a significant jump from the base petrol F-150 which has a sticker price of US$37,450 (A$57,700).
Accordingly Ford AuthorityThrough the end of October, the Blue Oval sold a total of 663,933 F-Series trucks in the U.S., with the F-150 Lightning accounting for just 24,577, or 3.7 percent, of that number.
Rival GM is reportedly considering the future of its Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV and GMC Hummer EV pickup trucks, all of which are suffering from similarly slow sales.
After several delays, Ram halted development of its all-electric 1500 REV pickup, preferring to focus its engineering resources on the upcoming EREV (Extended Range EV) version of the 1500.
In August this year, Ford announced the Universal EV Platform. The first vehicle of this architecture is a Ranger-sized pickup truck, scheduled to launch in the United States in 2027. The price of this vehicle, possibly called Ranchero, will start at US$30,000 (A$46,300).
While Ford’s Australian showrooms stock F-150s that are locally converted to right-hand drive, the company is not officially offering the Lightning Down Under. Queensland-based AusEV has filled the gap, refurbishing and selling the Lightning locally.
MORE: Explore the Ford F-150 showroom
