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Now With 150,000 Pre-Orders, Ford F-150 Lightning Gets Pre-Production Units

On August 24, 2021, Ford announced that it had so many pre-orders for the F-150 Lightning that it would double its initial production capacity for this product. Instead of 40,000 electric pickup trucks, it would make 80,000.
Ford F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center 17 photos
Photo: Ford
Ford F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle CenterFord F-150 Lightning Assembly Lines at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center
On September 16, the company talked about that again, only giving more details, such as the $250 million to get there and hiring 450 more people thanks to the new EV. What is really a novelty about all this is that the F-150 Lightning is in its pre-production phase already, with reservations reaching 150,000 units.

It may seem that Ford is on the verge of delivering these vehicles. After all, the pre-production stage comes after the tooling trial – the one NIO announced the ET7 has just reached. However, deliveries for the electric pickup truck will only begin in spring 2022. All the vehicles being produced now will be put to tests. Ford will probably extend them as much as possible to ensure its new EV will meet all necessary standards.

According to Ford’s plans, 15,000 F-150 Lightning units will roll out of the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center assembly lines in 2022. In 2023, the number will rise to 55,000 electric pickup trucks until the 80,000-units-per-year landmark is achieved in 2024. Those numbers match the F-150 Lightning pre-orders volume very precisely.

If more people want one, Ford will have to think about expanding the production again or convincing these customers to wait for the second generation of the electric pickup truck. It is scheduled to arrive in 2025, built over the TE1 dedicated electric pickup truck platform.

Prices for the new F-150 Lightning should start at $39,974, with the Pro derivative. The extended-range battery pack is the one that should allow it to reach at least 300 miles of range. Ford already has an extensive disclaimer for it in its press release, warning customers and journalists that “actual range varies with conditions such as external environment, vehicle use, vehicle maintenance, lithium-ion battery age and state of health.”
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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
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Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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