Ford's electric F-150 drew 200,000 reservations, then production stopped
When Ford revealed the battery-powered F-150 Lightning in May 2021, 69,500 people put down deposits within four days, and reservations passed 200,000 by year's end. One dealer even asked $100,000 over list. Yet in December 2025 Ford announced it would stop building the truck because it could not make a profit.
Ford announced plans for an electric pickup at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show. That July, prototype mules on existing F-150 frames hauled a record 1,250,000 pounds on rails, and chief engineer Linda Zhang promised the truck would carry the Built Ford Tough reputation into electric power. The name and design were revealed on May 19, 2021, and the first truck was built on April 18, 2022, with deliveries starting on May 26.
Every version uses two motors and full-time four-wheel drive with 775 lb-ft of torque. The base truck makes 452 hp and goes about 230 miles, while the top model delivers 580 hp, roughly 300 miles and a 10,000-pound towing limit. A front trunk holds 400 pounds. Real-world towing is harsher: MotorTrend's Platinum managed 255 miles unladen but only 90 while pulling a 7,218-pound camper. Some trims can power a house during outages, and assembly takes place at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Michigan, with motors and batteries made at two other Michigan plants.
Demand faded after the launch rush. Ford sold 15,617 in 2022 and 24,165 in 2023, with quarterly totals swinging widely, and in 2024 it halved weekly production from about 3,200 trucks to 1,600. It entered Europe through Norway in April 2023 and adopted the North American Charging System, gaining access to more than 12,000 chargers. A modified Lightning won the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 8:53.553.
Announcing the end of the Lightning, Ford said it remained on track for cheaper models and promised a $30,000 electric pickup by 2027, which it unveiled in August 2026 as the Ford Fathom; buyers are expected to order and receive it in 2027.
Source: Ford F-150 Lightning
