Photo: Ford
Ford announced it already has 120,000 pre-orders for the F-150 Lightning, which is way above what the company expected. According to Reuters, that led the automaker to double the production targets for the electric pickup truck. Instead of producing 40,000 units by 2024, Ford intends to deliver 80,000 by then.
With that, Ford would build 15,000 F-150 Lightning in 2022 and reach 55,000 units in 2023 until it manages to manufacture 80,000 electric pickup trucks by 2024. That would exceed the initial pre-orders by just 30,000 units: 150,000 EVs instead of 120,000. In 2025, a second generation of the F-150 Lightning would be revealed.
That’s a short lifespan for a new product, but it makes perfect sense. This first iteration of the F-150 Lightning would be based mainly on the current pickup truck platform, which brings some compromises to what it can offer. In 2025, Ford will be ready to present its TE1 dedicated electric architecture for pickup trucks.
This platform is part of Ford’s plan to have cars conceived to be electric from the very beginning. Another architecture with that purpose would be the GE2, which should be presented by mid-2023 and will underpin the Mustang and the Mustang Mach-E, which is currently built over the GE platform.
According to Reuters, most of the demand for the F-150 Lightning is coming from commercial customers willing to reduce the carbon footprint of their fleets. Ford would invest $850 million more in the electric pickup truck’s production plans to meet these new production plans.
If things go well for the first generation of the F-150 Lightning, the second generation should present even more substantial numbers. Ford is already counting on that, and the output target for the following electric pickup truck in 2025 would be a bit lower than 150,000 units. Considering the first impressions caused by the F-150 Lightning, Ford would be right to be optimistic.
That’s a short lifespan for a new product, but it makes perfect sense. This first iteration of the F-150 Lightning would be based mainly on the current pickup truck platform, which brings some compromises to what it can offer. In 2025, Ford will be ready to present its TE1 dedicated electric architecture for pickup trucks.
This platform is part of Ford’s plan to have cars conceived to be electric from the very beginning. Another architecture with that purpose would be the GE2, which should be presented by mid-2023 and will underpin the Mustang and the Mustang Mach-E, which is currently built over the GE platform.
According to Reuters, most of the demand for the F-150 Lightning is coming from commercial customers willing to reduce the carbon footprint of their fleets. Ford would invest $850 million more in the electric pickup truck’s production plans to meet these new production plans.
If things go well for the first generation of the F-150 Lightning, the second generation should present even more substantial numbers. Ford is already counting on that, and the output target for the following electric pickup truck in 2025 would be a bit lower than 150,000 units. Considering the first impressions caused by the F-150 Lightning, Ford would be right to be optimistic.
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