Ford considers ending F-150 Lightning

[lipnorth]

I find it odd that they'd cancel the truck the same week they announce the Ford Home Power Management System, which allows you to use the Lightning as your home's main power source during peak cost hours.



The truck in its current form was almost surely going to be replaced by something coming out of the new UEV platform, so that isn't surprising. The WSJ article was light on details, and technically, if even one Ford "executive" suggested this, then the article is technically true. I just don't know how much support that idea has inside of Ford. FWIW, Jim Farley's daily driver is a Lightning (he said so on a semi-recent podcast).

I personally hope it's not cancelled. This is my first pickup truck (always wanted one!), and it's my favorite vehicle of all that I've owned. I don't think I'd go back to an ICE or even a hybrid vehicle; the performance and convenience of the EV is just too good to give up.

I heard his JF’s daily driver in a Chinese EV that he says is years ahead of what we produce in the US.

Sponsored

 

[BlkGS]

So...what was all that commotion about the new plant in Kentucky?

So, 'scrap' the Lightning may just be an attention grabbing headline, and really only means they will switch to building smaller EV pickups, in the Ranger 'class' which would work for me - I drove an 4.0L ICE Ranger from 2001-2024 when I got the Lightning.

They will have to compete with Slate and if the tariffs fall, which seems likely from the SCOTUS oral argument the other day, there could be Chinese EV trucks to content with.

The tariffs falling would be an economic boost for Ford and other US manufacturers since it was putting a big hit on profits.

I don't agree that US consumers aren't ready for EVs, they are, but the infrastructure needs to be there to support them, which holds people back from the purchase.

Eliminating the tax credits was a negative but it will/should force manufacturers to make a more economical EV lineup.

Headlines about EVs from the WSJ and SchmoozeMAX are always negative and sensational aren't they? The animus towards EVs has pervaded their coverage since forever - so grain of salt, folks.

Switching away from fossil fuels is long overdue and all the things warned about by climate scientists are coming to fruition, stronger storms, more floods, wildfires, etc. Seems too late to completely stop it, but mitigation is still possible. Humans have a tendency to wait until the last possible moment to change direction.

The environmental aspect is funny to me. I think it's been pretty clear that it isn't about environmental concerns, it's about wanting to disrupt a market and make money.

If it were REALLY about the environment, we would have pushed for PHEV versions of vehicles and used taxpayer money to achieve price parity on a PHEV with a traditional gas vehicle. A PHEV would give most buyers 90% less gas use without any real change their their driving habits, and you could have a modest enough battery that you could charge it using a 110V extension cord, no need for a fancy 220v charger install.

 

[rbott]

I heard his JF’s daily driver in a Chinese EV that he says is years ahead of what we produce in the US.

He did drive one of those for a few months to see what the experience is like, but he's a big fan of the Lightning. The bottom line is that Ford is going to lose money on all EVs for now because they are building out that business. Add Ford to the list of (checks notes) every single large company that spends capital to build out something new. This is an investment for future returns. We are all early adopters, but I view all of this as the top of the first inning. Without the pitch clock!

 

[chl]

The environmental aspect is funny to me. I think it's been pretty clear that it isn't about environmental concerns, it's about wanting to disrupt a market and make money.

If it were REALLY about the environment, we would have pushed for PHEV versions of vehicles and used taxpayer money to achieve price parity on a PHEV with a traditional gas vehicle. A PHEV would give most buyers 90% less gas use without any real change their their driving habits, and you could have a modest enough battery that you could charge it using a 110V extension cord, no need for a fancy 220v charger install.

I meant the negative news at some outlets is about climate denial and big oil money.

Most of the early adopters I have met over the years have been keenly aware of the environmental impact of carbon based fuels on the atmosphere and it was one of their reasons for switching to EVs - also that was the motivation behind the EV tax credits, etc.

Tesla's original motivation, maybe just lip service, was to save the planet.

I don't know what Ford's motivation was for producing the Lightning - seems to me it was because Tesla announced the CYBERcluck and got over a million reservations pdq, and Ford didn't want to miss the boat on that. I think their mistake was not first introducing a smaller less expensive EV pickup and opting for the F-150 EV.

 

[Deleted member 22838]

I meant the negative news at some outlets is about climate denial and big oil money.

Most of the early adopters I have met over the years have been keenly aware of the environmental impact of carbon based fuels on the atmosphere and it was one of their reasons for switching to EVs - also that was the motivation behind the EV tax credits, etc.

Tesla's original motivation, maybe just lip service, was to save the planet.

I don't know what Ford's motivation was for producing the Lightning - seems to me it was because Tesla announced the CYBERcluck and got over a million reservations pdq, and Ford didn't want to miss the boat on that. I think their mistake was not first introducing a smaller less expensive EV pickup and opting for the F-150 EV.

Ford hit it out of the park with the Lightning, its far better than any other EV truck. No doubt.

 

[GDN]

Thank you as that response helps us provide our customers answers

You're a large dealer with direct access to all of the Ford communication channels, and you are here getting your news from a highly censored social media posting (no offense Brian, we like you).

 

[Baja Lightning]

Switching away from fossil fuels is long overdue and all the things warned about by climate scientists are coming to fruition, stronger storms, more floods, wildfires, etc. Seems too late to completely stop it, but mitigation is still possible. Humans have a tendency to wait until the last possible moment to change direction.

Too funny, even Bill “the world is coming to and if we don’t save it” Gates recently admitted the whole climate thing was a joke.

None of those climate preachers sold their beachfront properties….

My wife loves her Lightning, so do I but for reasons other than climate BS. I live out of town fully off grid, we charge and drive 100% free.

Make no mistake, no electric truck can ever replace a ICE vehicle, at least not yet, and probably not for a long time.

Love rolling coal in my F350…..!
(But it sure is nice to drive 2000 miles every month and not spend a penny on gas)

 

[Timeless Epoch]

There isn’t enough facts to know what is going on yet.

The news sensationalizes literally everything. Watching the TSB news conference directly regarding the UPS plane crash and the news reports hours later is a great recent example.

The fact that someone reported they had their 2025 order canceled but also recommended to move to a 2026 is encouraging. I’d hope some one at Ford recognizes kicking a customer in the balls twice is bad for business.

If I had to guess, like everyone else, Ford already had next gen plans in mind and the recent fire has accelerated those plans. But accelerating plans means a lot of unknowns, hence the cagey answers.

In the mean time, I’m enjoying my truck.

 

[Stang68]

you can't blame the dealers. EV's are gonna kill them because 50% of their profit is from service and EV's just aren't going to require much. Monday I took my Lightning in for a 20k checkup which includes a tire rotation. The service guy said "pretty much a tire rotation" The checkup cost me $18. The average 20k mile checkup on an ICE f-150 is $300 - $400.

I understand WHY the dealers don’t want EVs, but I can still blame them. Anyone who actually test drives a Lightning and an ICE F150 would see the difference. But a salesman knows the path of least resistance is telling the customer to just go ICE.

 

[bosox8]

I was at the Ford dealer that I bought my Lightning from the last two days because I bought my son a used Mustang Mach-E that’s also a sweet car.

I saw the article that they are considering killing Lightning . The dealership thought it sucked, but they said that the demand has been very low. The owner of the dealership owns a Lightning and thinks it’s amazing, so he’s a believer.

IMO, the target market for an electric F-150 is flawed. Long-time pickup drivers tend to not believe in electric (at least with people I know), and worse, they might even be more MAGA-leaning. Combine that with our current government’s rhetoric, the loss of rebates, and their unrelenting push to kill electric and push into coal and fossil fuel, it’s no wonder pickup truck drivers are loathe to switch.

I, on the other hand, love my Lightning. And everywhere I go, when I open up the front, people come up to me asking questions and are in amazement.

can you possibly do a write-up without displaying your TDS?

 

[bosox8]

So...what was all that commotion about the new plant in Kentucky?

So, 'scrap' the Lightning may just be an attention grabbing headline, and really only means they will switch to building smaller EV pickups, in the Ranger 'class' which would work for me - I drove an 4.0L ICE Ranger from 2001-2024 when I got the Lightning.

They will have to compete with Slate and if the tariffs fall, which seems likely from the SCOTUS oral argument the other day, there could be Chinese EV trucks to content with.

The tariffs falling would be an economic boost for Ford and other US manufacturers since it was putting a big hit on profits.

I don't agree that US consumers aren't ready for EVs, they are, but the infrastructure needs to be there to support them, which holds people back from the purchase.

Eliminating the tax credits was a negative but it will/should force manufacturers to make a more economical EV lineup.

Headlines about EVs from the WSJ and SchmoozeMAX are always negative and sensational aren't they? The animus towards EVs has pervaded their coverage since forever - so grain of salt, folks.

Switching away from fossil fuels is long overdue and all the things warned about by climate scientists are coming to fruition, stronger storms, more floods, wildfires, etc. Seems too late to completely stop it, but mitigation is still possible. Humans have a tendency to wait until the last possible moment to change direction.

good write-up until your last paragraph...totally bogus even the IPCC doesn't make that claim and arson does not equal wildfires

 

[Tony Burgh]

Just my 2¢.
Ford could have done much better by marketing Pros with SR to small business people who put less than 100 miles per day and go home every night. Keep the initial investment low and they would have flocked to the truck.
Instead they marketed Lariats with ER to people like most of us.

i just deleted the extra 2 paragraphs of rant because they served no purpose.

 

[Stubedo]

I love my Lightning as well… but a couple of things happened that do not lend themselves for for restarting production.

The first was the business environment, cancellation of EV credits, and the lowering of mileage standards.

The second is that all of the above happens, company leadership does not have much of an appetite for R&D for the next gen platform. And Toyota is miles ahead of everyone right now… Solid State batteries that are expected to outlive multiple chassis are on the way… perhaps as soon as 2027. https://insideevs.com/news/778354/toyota-solid-state-battery-ev-40-year-lifespan/

 

[chl]

Too funny, even Bill “the world is coming to and if we don’t save it” Gates recently admitted the whole climate thing was a joke.

None of those climate preachers sold their beachfront properties….

My wife loves her Lightning, so do I but for reasons other than climate BS. I live out of town fully off grid, we charge and drive 100% free.

Make no mistake, no electric truck can ever replace a ICE vehicle, at least not yet, and probably not for a long time.

Love rolling coal in my F350…..!
(But it sure is nice to drive 2000 miles every month and not spend a penny on gas)

That's all fake news.

Bill Gates has never said that climate change is a joke. In fact, he has called it a serious problem and a major challenge facing humanity.

Recent confusion stems from a late 2025 memo where Gates argued against a "doomsday view" of climate change, suggesting the world should shift its focus to addressing immediate human suffering, such as poverty and disease, alongside climate action.

I guess you've never had a relative with black lung, or seen how much mercury is in coal dust and the left-overs from burning it?

I am really surprised there are any climate deniers left given all the evidence...but as Ron White said in 2006 " You can't fix_____!"

 

[Deleted member 12322]

Driving back towards the topic: yall brought up an interesting point if owning a lightning has led to any friends buying one.

I had one coworker buy one he was interested in after asking me about mine. I have had two friends and a sibling buy Model Ys, either new or used, due to the low cost. I had three other friends buy used non Ford EVs. Biggest reason no one got the Lightning was higher cost, less efficiency, and slower charger compared to competitors.

I think, at the end of the day, the high cost of entry on top of economic headwinds stalled any chance the Lightning had. It’s not like the other trucks are doing better, just the cheaper compacts are.

Sponsored