All-electric vehicles are obviously far different from their ICE-powered counterparts in a number of ways, and that includes the way each is sold – at least for now. Tesla, for example, sells the bulk of its vehicles online and does not offer incentives like traditional automakers. Now, it appears that FoMoCo is following that lead by telling dealers not to list prices below MSRP in 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning advertising, according to Cars Direct.
This information comes via a recent dealer bulletin, which states that the automaker won’t allow Ford F-150 Lightning advertising that contains below sticker pricing for the all-electric pickup before incentives are available across the board, though dealers will be allowed to sell these vehicles below MSRP. This is the same practice that began back with the Ford Mustang Mach-E, though that model is eligible for Ford Plan Pricing.
According to Ford’s Ad Covenant Program, dealerships that comply with this request will receive payments of one percent of a sold vehicle’s MSRP, so advertising a Lightning for less than its sticker price will cost non-compliant dealers some money. The program is voluntary, but rival dealers can report others for violating these standards.
This sort of move is sure to frustrate buyers that like to shop around online for the best deal, as it forces them to physically visit dealerships to hunt for discounts. But with over 120,000 reservations, it will likely take a few years for Ford to fulfill all of its F-150 Lightning orders, despite the fact that FoMoCo recently doubled its planned production at the new Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, even without factoring in potential supply chain issues like the looming semiconductor chip shortage.
Aside from the fact that Tesla sells all of its new vehicles without discounts, incentive spending has also been slashed significantly in recent months, so it’s unclear if or when an F-150 Lightning might be available at a discount, anyway.
We’ll have more on the F-150 Lightning soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford F-150 news, F-150 Lightning news, and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
UPDATE!
It’s late 2021 and it isn’t happening
yet! In fact, the gap has grown wider
for vehicles in production now…some
dealers even applying markups on EVs.
Edit:
Don’t know how this comment wound
up on THIS article…was posted on the article stating “EV Prices Will Fall
Below Those of Gas Powered Cars
Within The Next Decade”…???
Oh well.
Local dealers are pushing the needle with 15k mark-up on Mach-e. Do you know what’s the worst part? Gullible consumers are paying for it, then they complain about inflation. Just wait until end of 2022 when F-150 Lightning will start with 20k mark-up.
I hope price gouging isn’t going to be the norm. I will definitely buy any other thing that I don’t feel as I’m getting raped.
How about not letting Dealers charge More than MSRP?