Ford Reduces F-150 Lightning Production to Match Customer Demand

[Jim Lewis]

Too bad Amazon didn’t absorb years of losses.

Amazon had a very strong investor base that saw what Amazon was doing as a very profitable future. Amazon also overbuilt their web services to support their business model and then found, "Hey! We have a very profitable product here." IIRC, most of Amazon's profits come from AWS, not the Amazon Store, etc.

Ford does not seem to have captured investors' imagination that what they are doing with EVs is THE FUTURE. They were amongst the first to market with an electric pickup, but rather than a knocked-the-ball-out-of-the-park hit, they have stuff like the BECM and BSM updates, the HIS mess, the painful and mysterious OTA update process so far, etc. I love my Lightning. No regrets whatsoever on plunking down $$$ to get it. But in recommending a Ford EV to anyone, I would have to qualify that recommendation to say a Ford EV comes with a lot of hiccups so far. Right now, my FCSP, for example, can't charge at more than ~30 amps even though it's hard-wired for 100 A and set in FordPass for 48 A. And @TaxmanHog reassured me at one point, ~just wait for the new version of FordPass. That will probably fix your charging problem. Oh, yeah. Did I mention that the FordPass is so flaky, we're awaiting a new version in hopes that things go "more better."

EV range and charging station inadequacies may be the main reasons that Ford is paring back on Lightning production, but Ford's inability to deliver a smooth product certainly plays into the picture. Right now, Ford does not look like the Amazon of the future in EVs, at least to me.

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[Roy2001]

FolsomLakeFord.com in Sacramento has 43 Lighnings, all 2023 and seems all in parking lot. The sales is slow. $72-80k for ER is still relatively high.

 

[Truaz]

So frustrating to see them cutting production, when so many other (*cough* European and Asian *cough*) companies are ramping up EV production. Demand in general for EVs is high, Ford just has a very specific/targeted product in the Lighting.

We bought our Lightning instead of a Rivian R1S due to our familiarity with Ford, the features and design, and the impending Tesla network access. While I don't regret getting our Lightning, I'm not happy with Ford's panic reflex and output reduction.

I know a lot of people here didn't buy their vehicle to "save the planet", and that's fine...to each their own. But for us that was part of the decision process (I've been wanting an EV for years, but refused to buy a Tesla for certain reasons ). I'm disappointed to see Ford pulling back from actions which will help combat climate change, while Rivian, Tesla, Kia and others surge forward.

Again, this is my opinion, YMMV and I'm not looking to start a debate. Just thinking "out loud" as it were.

Each of the three (Tesla, Rivian, ford) are for a specific market. If I wanted a smaller truck I would have gone Rivian. Unique and some cool features Tesla (sorry it still looks like a Honda ridgeline and I didn’t like them either) but the lighting I already knew from my F150 I had before. This fits my need and does everything I need/want it to. I’m not towing a camper or boat that I would need a F-250 for. So what works for person A won’t for person B. Just my 2cebts.

 

[OtterJohn]

Each of the three (Tesla, Rivian, ford) are for a specific market. If I wanted a smaller truck I would have gone Rivian. Unique and some cool features Tesla (sorry it still looks like a Honda ridgeline and I didn’t like them either) but the lighting I already knew from my F150 I had before. This fits my need and does everything I need/want it to. I’m not towing a camper or boat that I would need a F-250 for. So what works for person A won’t for person B. Just my 2cebts.

I agree completely, three different use cases, for sure.

I'm more lamenting the fact that Ford cutting production potentially impacts overall EV adoption and the ramifications therein.

 

[luebri]

They need to market the Lightning as a family wagon. I don't think there's another EV on the market with the kind of space in the backseat the Lightning has.

Here's your commercial: Two car seats and a dog in the back. The family is taking a roadtrip and stop to charge at a vista peak somewhere. The frunk is popped open filled with luggage, the cooler lid is taken off to reveal a boxes of chicken nuggets and mozzarella sticks on ice. The tailgate powers down, various outdoor gear is secured in the bed. An air fryer is plugged into the on board outlets. Lunch is made. The armrest folds out into a table, a tablecloth is placed on top with a plate of hot snacks. The moon roof opens up as the kids run around outside and the parents crack open a seltzer water.

I think snippets of interviews of people like me... happy owner that transitioned from full size ICE pickup, to full size EV pickup. That and video of the reaction of ICE pickup drivers test driving and "launching" the Lightning for their 1st time! They need to convince that market... that is where they are struggling. They need to covince ICE Pickup truck drivers that it's not just granola eating hippies driving EV's. That and maybe a montage of all our Pics in the "Lightning doing truck things" thread on this forum!

 

[GunRack]

This doesn't bother me as we know the 2025 is bringing some big changes. Its going to be a hard sell with 24's given whats being offered next year (NACS, Heat Pump). It seems to make sense to cutback now and ramp up 25 production at the end of the year. Though it would seem to be a good time to get a shit ton of Pro fleet trucks out. And that doesn't appear to be the plan

Speaking of, I saw my city's maintenance lot just look delivery of 4 Pros via a car carrier last week.

 

[Oafy44]

Too bad Amazon didn’t absorb years of losses. They could have ruled the commercial world. Only this quarter’s P&L matters.

ford is not Amazon. Telsa is Amazon. Legacy costs are real. business’ go out of business. And in 50-100 years a company will replace Tesla. Ford can’t mimic rivian / telsa. Theres too much bad debt hindering real growth and they have plants all over the world they had to shut down while new companies are building new plants. They can compete to a degree but ford is basically paralyzed to a point. They can’t just cut off the spicket with the ICE and take years of loses with EV- and this is what happens. You have an ICE company that is trying to convert their customer to EV without alienating them…….and unfortunately their dealers

I literally passed 2 lightning’s / 3 rivians / 3 teslas in the span of 20 minutes riding 3 miles from my house in Georgia. Not known for super progressive mandates around these parts either. The adoption is real and I think Ford I think is going to end up regretting the decision to go big - especially if they see a sudden uptick if oil gets above $100 again …..and of course Ford probably underestimated ordering parts and will not be able to build to the demand once again.

my lightning is hands down the best car I have ever owned and I have had a raptor / several super duties ect. It just makes sense. It’s a shame we have gotten to this point in America where politics come into play with car purchases. I know if people had a lightning for a week the conversion rate would be fairly positive

 

[Tony Burgh]

Yes, they're a major force in the automotive business, aren't they.

regardless, it's not quite the "gotcha" you probably thought it was. No one else is building Pro equivalents either, because there's no money in that trim level. Tesla quietly dropped the 40K cybertruck, GM aren't building any base EV trucks, and ford arent either. They’re not missing anything. They are consciously choosing to build different product.

Maybe that’s why they’re down to one shift after all the hype. Not a gotcha. There are other places you need to comment in for that game.

 

[LightningShow]

I once worked for a company that would rather give up sales volume than product margin. We assumed marketing guys were rewarded on margin but not profit. Sounds like they work for Ford now.
When Ford abandoned the work truck version of the Lightning in favor of Lariats marketed to truck newbies, they jettisoned their bread and butter segment. I see very few Pro’s that would make sense for local tradesman driving under 100 to 200 miles per day like plumbers and electricians. Imagine the cost savings of electricity over diesel fuel. Imagine the sales volume.
The pigeons have come home to roost.

Never give up margin for volume. You don’t get it back.

 

[JRT]

The Raptor serves a niche market, high performance off-roader and the numbers show that. There are well over twice as many Lightnings listed on AutoTrader than Raptors. With five different trim levels the Lightning can attract a far greater buyer base than the Raptor.

There are constraints to Lightning sales right now but the sales numbers are still growing exponentially. The potential Lightning market is huge. Give Lightning sales a couple of years to work the kinks out and then see if you can still say the Lightning is a niche truck.

You are taking my comment a bit hard, not sure why. I do hope it improves for sure, I wouldn't be on my 2nd Ford EV if I didn't like the product.

 

[JRT]

I think snippets of interviews of people like me... happy owner that transitioned from full size ICE pickup, to full size EV pickup. That and video of the reaction of ICE pickup drivers test driving and "launching" the Lightning for their 1st time! They need to convince that market... that is where they are struggling. They need to covince ICE Pickup truck drivers that it's not just granola eating hippies driving EV's. That and maybe a montage of all our Pics in the "Lightning doing truck things" thread on this forum!

This is great, and my progress. I ordered SR Mach-E in 2021 to try out as a 3rd vehicle, I wasn't getting rid of my awesome Ram 1500, and could afford a 3rd car. We discovered we really liked the EV, but range and size weren't good for us. Then the price drop and on our commute my wife said she saw the Lightning was reduced and maybe we get 1 and replace both the truck and Mach-E. I placed my order 30 min later and other then the EA hell on our trip to FL no issues. I get asked about by very few people because most don't pay attention, Mach-E owners what to talk the most.

 

[Replika]

Amazon had a very strong investor base that saw what Amazon was doing as a very profitable future...

Can I just say that you have the most accurate profile picture I have ever seen. I mean, we're all just sitting in front of computer screens reading posts and thinking "what the heck is that guy even saying??"

 

[Jim Lewis]

I mean, we're all just sitting in front of computer screens reading posts and thinking "what the heck is that guy even saying??"

Yeah! Never let a wife own an iPhone! She captures little embarrassing cameo pictures of me all the time, and I got nabbed in that image as an example of "this is what I have to put up with!" But I thought, "that's me, unfortunately..." and I've used it ever since as my avatar.

Here's a picture I actually requested from her, where I trapped the cat in a cubicle it had somehow launched itself into so we could memorialize in a picture what owning a cat is like.

 

[KevinC]

I like my lightning a lot. However, If I had been Ford CEO back when Farley made the decision on it, I would have electrified the Ranger instead. The rest of the world are not "big-truck" people other than Australia. The rest of the world wants a truck the size of the ranger. If ford had run into this demand problem with the ranger they could have started exporting Ranger EV's to Europe and elsewhere and they would have sold. I think the F150 would still have been an inevitable goal, but the ranger would have been a safer short-term bet. European drivers don't typically like things as big as an F150. As a consumer, I'm glad I got a lightning.

 

[LightningShow]

I like my lightning a lot. However, If I had been Ford CEO back when Farley made the decision on it, I would have electrified the Ranger instead. The rest of the world are not "big-truck" people other than Australia. The rest of the world wants a truck the size of the ranger. If ford had run into this demand problem with the ranger they could have started exporting Ranger EV's to Europe and elsewhere and they would have sold. I think the F150 would still have been an inevitable goal, but the ranger would have been a safer short-term bet. European drivers don't typically like things as big as an F150. As a consumer, I'm glad I got a lightning.

I would've bought a Ranger EV for sure but small trucks don't sell in the US (aside from the Tacoma) and the US is by far their biggest market. I don't think they were worried about the the total sales numbers as much as the image for this vehicle. It was a strategic business decision. Make your top selling vehicle an EV. EV adoption is still in it's infancy so they didn't need a Model 3/Y competitor (technically, that's the Mach-E anyway). They were the first automaker with a full sized EV truck. The fact that they didn't even redesign the platform tells you it wasn't meant as a long term solution. My assumption has always been that the Lightning was a stop gap while they developed dedicated EV platforms for medium (Ranger/Explorer) and large (F-150/Expedition) vehicles.

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