Following a red hot start, demand for the Ford F-150 Lightning has dropped significantly, which is largely true of many other EVs these days, in general. The Blue Oval has responded by scaling back production of the EV pickup at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center on multiple occasions, and also recently opted to push back the production start date of the second-generation Ford F-150 EV at the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center – which may or may not continue to wear the Lightning name – to 2027. Now, we’re learning that the next-generation Ford F-150 EV production target has been pared back, too.
According to Bloomberg, Ford is scaling back its production plans at the under-construction BlueOval City complex, which houses the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center. The site will now produce “less than 100,000” next-generation Ford F-150 EV pickups when it comes online in 2027, which is a third of the previously-planned output of 300,000 units annually.
Additionally, Marin Gjaja, chief operating officer for Ford Model e, added that the company expects that new pickup to command a premium price when it does arrive, based on new, breakthrough battery technology that’s in the works – which will lower costs for the automaker and result in bigger profits. “That customer really wants that larger battery,” Gjaja said. “They want the range, they want the power for towing. And so there’s much more of a willingness to pay for that.” Gjaja added that Ford has the ability to modify its facilities to produce extended-range EVs (EREVs) as well, noting “we have flexibility to create plants that can do different things.”
As Ford Authority previously reported, The Blue Oval plans on launching a variety of EREVs across its SUV and crossover lineup in the coming years, as well as an extended-range version of the Ford Super Duty. The automaker also plans to add a hybrid variant of some sort to its entire ICE-focused Ford Blue lineup by 2030 or sooner, and that includes electrified versions of the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, replacing a pair of canceled pure EVs.
Comments
They need to fold Lightning in under F150. If I could get a 2025 F150 that had the Lightning powertrain option, I’d buy one.
I won’t buy some EV first designed truck. I want a truck, not an EV pretending to be a truck. That means an easily serviceable vehicle with parts shared by a billion work trucks.
Yeah that’s how vehicle architecture works, just slap a Lightning powertrain into an ICE F-150…
Lighting was popular to start because it was $39k! That was a good deal. As prices surged, sales tanked. I am skeptical of “new pickup to command a premium price when it does arrive” actually working.
Yes, they raced to expand capacity in Dearborn as prices rose and remand withered. Now they’re building a new assembly complex for less than 100,000 units annually. The Dearborn plant can make 80,000 Lightnings now, so what was the point?
And that quote was loaded with gibberish: “new technology which will lower costs… and allow us to charge a premium price.” Translation: “This project is already a money-loser, and we can’t sell very many at the increased price.”
Close, REVC (Lightning Plant) can pump out 150,000 Lightning’s per year. Ford had their entire supply base expand capacity to support 150,000/yr via official Capacity Study.