Photo: Ford
Ford is expanding the production numbers for the F-150 Lightning as much as it can. The unexpected demand for the electric pickup truck made the automaker double the initial target from 40,000 to 80,000 units and, more recently, to 150,000 EVs. We asked Ford how it plans to reach these numbers, and the company told us more about it.
According to Ford, it will share its production goals for the model year 2022 closer to launch. The company intends to produce 80,000 units of the 2023 F-150 Lightning. Just to have an idea of what that represents, this is the production number the carmaker expected to reach in 2024. Ford added that it wants to achieve “a run-rate of 150,000” electric pickup trucks by mid-2023.
The American automaker also told us why it closed the reservation system for the F-150 Lightning. According to the company, it did that on December 8, in preparation for order banks opening when the electric pickup truck pre-order numbers were close to 200,000. The reservation system is still closed.
Anyone willing to buy an F-150 Lightning will either have to wait for used ones or enter the electric pickup truck website and ask to “Get Updates” there. When (and if) Ford allows new reservations for the Lightning, the company will tell the interested people about that through this method. Expect reservations to be only for later model years.
Considering that Ford now has close to 200,000 reservations and the 2022 and 2023 model years will probably not exceed 100,000 units, that means only 2024 model year pickups will be available.
It is highly unlikely that the people that have reservations will not convert their pre-orders into actual purchases in such a competitive scenario. Ford will present the second-generation F-150 Lightning in 2024 – when its production will start at the new Blue Oval City, the Tennessee factory the company is building.
Unlike what most people think, high demand for a product a company cannot deliver is a problematic situation. First of all, because a car you don’t sell is money you don’t make. Worse than that, it means dealers may mark up those vehicles and sell them for much higher prices, tarnishing Ford’s reputation. Let’s see how the company will deal with that.
The American automaker also told us why it closed the reservation system for the F-150 Lightning. According to the company, it did that on December 8, in preparation for order banks opening when the electric pickup truck pre-order numbers were close to 200,000. The reservation system is still closed.
Anyone willing to buy an F-150 Lightning will either have to wait for used ones or enter the electric pickup truck website and ask to “Get Updates” there. When (and if) Ford allows new reservations for the Lightning, the company will tell the interested people about that through this method. Expect reservations to be only for later model years.
Considering that Ford now has close to 200,000 reservations and the 2022 and 2023 model years will probably not exceed 100,000 units, that means only 2024 model year pickups will be available.
It is highly unlikely that the people that have reservations will not convert their pre-orders into actual purchases in such a competitive scenario. Ford will present the second-generation F-150 Lightning in 2024 – when its production will start at the new Blue Oval City, the Tennessee factory the company is building.
Unlike what most people think, high demand for a product a company cannot deliver is a problematic situation. First of all, because a car you don’t sell is money you don’t make. Worse than that, it means dealers may mark up those vehicles and sell them for much higher prices, tarnishing Ford’s reputation. Let’s see how the company will deal with that.
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