Important Update: Ford EV Roadmap & Future of F-150 Lightning (EREV Next Gen Model) - ⛔️ ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS

[Ford Motor Company]

I don't like the fact that it seems Ford is catering to those who leased and not providing any relief for those who bought.

Also, why should we believe Ford about any new technology in new vehicles? They just proved that they don't stand behind their "new" products. Should we buy into their new idea only to abandon it 3 years later?

This is what was provided to me (I'm just the messenger) and I'm trying to share in real time the best I can. Not all of this is set in stone, but I appreciate the candid thoughts. I'll send it back to the team as feedback.

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[Pitbull2o08]

I know this has been frustrating. What I have been doing is raising what I'm seeing among folks in this forum to see what help I can provide, as recently as this morning. I'm on it, as much as I can.

- Brian

Please let us know what Ford plans on doing with the HIS system issues, and if they plan on scraping the whole thing since Lightning is no longer being built.

 

[Lightningwaiter]

Hi F-150 Lightning owners,

I’m coming to you today with an update on our product roadmap. There has been a lot of speculation recently and we just went live with some news. So, I want to give you the facts straight from Ford, explain what is changing, and more importantly, why.

With the F-150 Lightning, we proved an electric truck could be a hit, and it has remained the best-selling electric pickup. Let’s be real about what we’ve learned from you, the owners, and the market over the last few years. You love the electric performance, smoothness, and the tech, but for those that drive long distances, take frequent trips or tow heavy loads across state lines often, an F-150 Lightning might not be the truck for them. And we want it to be.

We took a bet, produced an amazing product that so many people love, and now we’re making adjustments in response to evolving market realities, consumer preferences, and the regulatory environment. No one could have predicted how the EV landscape would change in the U.S., which has impacted the industry.
That is why our next-generation F-150 Lightning will be an EREV. 100% electric power delivery, sub-5-second acceleration – and adds an estimated 700+ mile range with locomotive-like towing capability. That is a game-changer for our customers. Like the current F-150 Lightning, the next-gen version will also offer exportable electricity that can power everything from work sites to camp sites to homes during a power outage.

For those who aren’t familiar with EREVs, this isn't a traditional plug-in hybrid. This is an electric vehicle with an on-board generator. It’s designed to give you the electric capability you enjoy around town, but with the range and towing confidence of a gas truck when you’re hauling a boat or camper. It will be assembled right here in Dearborn at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center.

What this means for the current generation F-150 Lightning and “T3” truck​

Production of the current generation of F-150 Lightning will end this year, and we have also made the decision to no longer produce the next-generation full-size electric truck, also known as “T3”. For those that still wish to purchase a MY25 F-150 Lightning, we have good inventory and interested customers can purchase from dealer stock.

If you have an order in, or were waiting on one, please contact your dealer immediately to see if your vehicle will be built or if they can match you to an existing stock unit.

As for existing Lightning customers who might be coming off lease or looking or a new Lightning, we are looking at the following:

• Assist early adopters to purchase or lease a new 25MY Lightning
• Offering extensions to customers who wish to extend their leases beyond the original term
• Providing dealer support to help match customer with available inventory

What about support for my current F-150 Lightning?​

I know reading "production is ending" can be nerve-wracking for current owners. I want to be clear: We are committed to ensuring ongoing support of your vehicle’s software updates, quality and experience. Like all vehicles, we will maintain parts and service for 10 years. The team is not walking away from the current F-150 Lightning, and I’m not going anywhere.

The Ford Universal EV Platform​

While we shift F-150 Lightning to EREV, we are absolutely maintaining our plans and investment in the next generation of affordable EVs. The new Universal EV (UEV) platform is now more important than ever for Ford. UEV platform development is well underway. This flexible architecture will underpin a new family of smaller, more affordable, and cost-efficient vehicles—starting with a midsize pickup in 2027.

There is no impact to Mustang Mach-E. Mustang Mach-E is a great success story and is now available in almost 60 markets across the globe. It continues to be a standout electric SUV and plays an important role in the portfolio.

Other News: Battery Technology​

We are also making moves to make our business more sustainable. We are repurposing our Kentucky battery plant to build large-scale battery storage systems (for grid and industrial use), and our Michigan plant will be focusing on prismatic LFP cells. The same Michigan plant will be ramping up production in 2026 to power the new midsize electric truck built on our new Universal EV Platform.

Ford has been in manufacturing for over a century. We understand power management, thermal systems, safety engineering, and large-scale manufacturing. Our licensed LFP prismatic technology is proven, and our brand represents long-term accountability critical for 20+ year infrastructure investments.

I know this is a lot of news, and for the BEV purists, this might be tough to hear. We have a huge opportunity to get more people driving electric – whether that be plug-in hybrid, extended-range electric or pure electric vehicles and our plans set us up to succeed in this mission.

You can read the press release on this news here. I’ll be in the comments a later tonight to answer what I can.

Brian from Ford

Brian, I really do appreciate the straightforwardness. I personally am first of all lucky I have a dream vehicle but second of all have the electric truck I had wanted for 10 years before it was available. I am on my second Lightning because I love the vehicle so much, I am going to stick with this one now for a few years. When I do want to purchase I really do not want any gas. I want one power plant; electric. I would love to see options for myself and my family. We have 3 F150’s in our family. Two are gas, my kids will definitely look at the EREV. One wanted the Ram and now you are going to offer what he needs. Really there needs to be flexibly EREV and EV in the lineup. Different people need different things. Hopefully some flexibility can happen.

 

[RickLightning]

I don't like the fact that it seems Ford is catering to those who leased and not providing any relief for those who bought.

Doesn't say that.

"As for existing Lightning customers who might be coming off lease or looking or a new Lightning, we are looking at the following:
Assist early adopters to purchase or lease a new 25MY Lightning
Offering extensions to customers who wish to extend their leases beyond the original term
Providing dealer support to help match customer with available inventory"

 

[bc1]

As someone with a degree in meteorology/climatology who has been studying weather and climate for 40 years, all I have to say to this is that if you're that gullible I've got some ocean front property in Kansas I'll make you a KILLER deal on.

Actually I own some at our farm in Kansas although been in the family and not for sale but I would consider a Killer deal. We have an outcropping of limestone with marine fossils such as clams, etc. from when there was an inland sea here sometime around the Permian Period around 250+- million years ago if I remember correctly. Have to think about what that particular formation was named. You would have to settle for sun bathing by the pond with the frogs.

 

[MrLoganRoss]

@Ford Motor Company -
I critical option for ford to offer is for existing lessees to be offered a buyout of their vehicle at a reduced residual amount. This is fair since this announcement impacts Lightning’s value so much.

 

[Hawkman]

Doesn't say that.

"As for existing Lightning customers who might be coming off lease or looking or a new Lightning, we are looking at the following:
Assist early adopters to purchase or lease a new 25MY Lightning
Offering extensions to customers who wish to extend their leases beyond the original term
Providing dealer support to help match customer with available inventory"

I still don't see how that statement in bold is saying it's helping existing customers who bought Lightnings. I read that as they might assist a current owner/lessee looking for a new 25 Lightning. I already own a 24 that I bought less than a year ago, I'm not looking to buy a 25.

 

[Deleted member 21405]

@Ford Motor Company -
I critical option for ford to offer is for existing lessees to be offered a buyout of their vehicle at a reduced residual amount. This is fair since this announcement impacts Lightning’s value so much.

That’s absurd in my opinion. And your suggestion potentially penalizes those who bought instead of leased by devaluing their trucks simply by placing a lower value on those that were leased. Completely unfair solution

 

[Kev12345]

All members of the forum, PLEASE review your posts in this thread to disrespectful statements, consider adjusting the post such that it does not incite anger amongst the population of readers, that goes for all perspectives and points of view.

It's been a rough week reading the news about our beloved Lightning, but what is a greater challenge is reading the divisive sentiments.

Thank you to all who have shared your gut felt reaction and personal analysis of what the future brings.

Let's keep the forum a place that welcomes all Ford Lightning BEV enthusiast, we have a long way to go driving these trucks, positive & helpful contributions are welcome, anything else is subject to removal at the call of the forum administration.

I suggest the opposite as long as it's directed at Ford.

 

[Jseis]

I use 35-60 KWh per day and charge at a $.0634/KWh cost. Add that back nightly with our CP HomeFlex. Gas currently is $4.60 a gallon so the Lightning BEV is extremely inexpensive to power. I also do not miss the dealer trips for ICE type maintenance.

If Lightning 2 is not a plug in hybrid then I’m paying for expensive gas for charging a 60-70 KWH battery? Daily? Jobbers put that kind of mileage/energy use on a truck daily… driving 2X-3X my daily... Then add towing in and cold weather operation in… that gas engine will be need to be really stout and/or the battery bigger.

Right back to maintenance & energy management that a BEV avoids. In a way, this like F1 race cars.. trying to bridge to the future with complex & hybrid technology.

If I can get 200K miles out of our Lightning ‘cause it could be the last truck we buy. So far… pretty pleased with maintenance costs. Time will tell.

 

[Deleted member 21405]

Not alone…

 

[hoovertac]

While I can appreciate Fords need adapt to the realities of the market, I still think the decision to kill the lightning is backwards & disappointing. This could make it difficult to trust in Fords ability to stand by their next EV and gives other companies who are more loyal to their models a chance to be more established.

 

[Literider150]

Will be interesting to see the cost. The US market isn't there for a fully electric full size truck at present cost and I'd be surprised if an erev is going to be the answer. Ford really didn't give the lightning much of a chance from the beginning considering the poorly trained sales staff and slow as molasses update process. This just reaffirms the fact that China is going to eat everyone's lunch.

To be fair, I don't think there were many of the American dealerships who were ready for this transition to electric. We leased a 2022 Kia EV6 in the fall of that year. The dealership had just hired a specialist in the service dept. who didn't know as much about the car as I did. We took it in to them because the home charging was having problems. It would slow down and then completely stop way before the charging was finished. There were multiple updates that were supposed to fix the problem. Where I live the updates didn't work through wifi and we get no cell service here. So we made multiple trips to the dealer to have them do the updates there - I don't think Kia even provided some of these updates OTA at all. Some of them they did push out OTA. We now have a 2024 that doesn't seem to have that charging problem and we love the car. It fits our lifestyle as does the 2024 F-150 that we are leasing. The convenience of charging at home is underrated and is the best thing about an EV.

I'm going to keep the Lightning if the financing on it makes it possible for us on a retirement income. Since so many Americans make their living off of loaning money to people who don't have much income, I'm not holding out much hope that there will be an acceptable interest rate in about a year and 1/2. My truck is going to have low mileage when the lease is up. I don't know how that is going to affect things at that time. But until then, I thank Ford for making this wonderful vehicle which I love to drive and use. We had another power outage in my area last week that lasted for 4 hours. So glad I could hook up the F-150 to my house and keep our pumps going for our geothermal heat and keep our freezers going. We have the V2L on the EV6 but, at only 120V, it only powers half our circuit panel. The relatively short trip to the city for supplies can be made twice with one charge on the truck with the ER battery and it is good in the snow.

 

[2wheeltraveler]

Questions for @Ford Motor Company

• What is the estimated EV only range?
• What is the estimated towing capacity / targets? (This is important as Scout announced lower towering capacity for their gas extender version than their BEV version)
• Will there still Be a frunk or will the engine take its place? If there is a frunk, is it anticipated to be a similar size (please say yes)
• Any cost estimates (Keep at current BEV pricing, due to advanced battery tech, insourcing and/or pack size, etc)
• What is the expected behavior when towing long distances, can you keep filling up and keep driving, or do you have to stop and charge, just after longer intervals because the generator can’t keep up with that level of energy depletion?
• Is 10 years support from model year, or announcement date?
• What battery architecture are you targeting (sounds like LFP)?
• What charging architecture are you targeting, 400v, 800v, etc?
• What changes will there be to Pro Power Onboard? Will there still be 2 separate inverters or will you have 1 inverter that can offboard 9.7 or higher kWh?
• Will these be an EREV specific design, or will it similarly be based on a shared F-150 ICE platform?

Thanks in advance for any answers you can provide and thanks for taking the time to address the forum!

 

[Newton]

These are good questions. In my opinion, It cannot possibly have a meaningful frunk if it still looks like an F-150 with a 5.5' bed and a Crew Cab. "Generator" does not mean one of those portable Honda things that you buy at Home Depot. The only EREV truck that is close to market uses the Pentastar V6. I believe that it is a little larger than the current Ford Ecoboost engines, and there still has to be space to wedge the very large alternator in somewhere. The BMW i3 used a 34HP motorcycle engine that would have been enough to power the tiny car if it were an ICE - at least in Europe!

I also believe that if Ford can't make money selling the Lightning because they are too expensive, there is no way that they can add an engine and make it any cheaper. Batteries are not expensive enough any more where the battery size savings make up for the cost of the engine. Additionally, the Ramcharger uses a battery as large as the SR Lightning.

I , too, am very curious about your fifth question. The Ramcharger claims a 690 mile range which obviously is to give us some comfort when towing. My question is what happens after the battery is used up? If the battery reserves are being used to supplement the power from the generator (which cannot be supplying 250 kw to the front and rear wheels unless this thing is the size of a semi) what happens when those reserves run out? If someone is on a long camping trip and is completely allergic to fast chargers, after one week there isn't going to be anything left in the battery to supplement the power from the generator. Does this mean that you have to hit both a gas station and a fast charger? Run the thing at idle for five hours?

I see very little clarity from the EREV proponents on how this part actually works. My guess is that they can make some assumptions about how the vehicle is used (the generator recharges the battery when there is not a big demand on the motors) but now we are in the "reinventing the automobile" territory which is pretty crazy when we have three time tested solutions (ICE, PHEV, EV) that work quite well.

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