Ford Motor is reportedly weighing the possibility of discontinuing its all-electric F‑150 Lightning pickup, built in Dearborn, a decision that could cast doubt on the future of large electric trucks, The Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the report, the company executives have yet to reach a final decision but are contemplating discontinuing the unprofitable truck, which saw its production halted last month due to an aluminum supply shortage. Once touted as a revolutionary vehicle comparable to the Model T, the F-150 Lightning has fallen short of sales expectations as U.S. consumers continue to show hesitation toward adopting an all-electric version of the best-selling pickup.
Scrapping the Lightning would be a major hit to the electric truck market.
“F-150 Lightning is the best-selling electric pickup truck in the U.S.—despite new competition from CyberTruck, Chevy, GMC, Hummer, and Rivian—and delivered record sales in Q3,” Ford spokesperson Ian Thibodeau said in a statement, adding that “We have good inventories of the F-150 Lightning.”
Ford’s Model e electric vehicle division has incurred a $3.6 billion loss this year, bringing its total losses since 2023 to $13 billion. Following the expiration of federal tax credits, the company’s U.S. EV sales dropped nearly 25% in October, with Lightning sales falling by 17% to around 1,500 units. While the base price of the Lightning is listed at $54,780 on Ford’s website, many variants are priced above $80,000.
Ford has previously taken similar decisions to scale back its EV efforts. The company slashed its planned electric vehicle battery production capacity by 35% and revealed last year that it would write off up to $1.9 billion to cancel its electric three-row SUV project. Ford attributed these moves to weak demand and the need for more affordable, longer-range battery technology.
Ford is set to introduce its Universal EV Platform in 2027, beginning with a midsize electric truck to be built at the Louisville Assembly Plant, with a starting price around $30,000.
Although a full-size truck and a commercial van were initially planned, their launch has been postponed to 2028.
The full-size pickup is planned for production at the new BlueOval City assembly facility in Stanton, Tennessee, with prototype manufacturing initially targeted for 2027. However, CEO Jim Farley has noted that, due to uneven EV adoption, future EV plants may also need to accommodate vehicles with other powertrains. Ford has also confirmed it is developing extended-range EVs similar to the upcoming Ram model.
Despite recent challenges, the F-150 Lightning remains the top-selling electric pickup in the U.S., with Ford delivering over 10,000 units in the third quarter. By the end of October, total sales reached 24,577, just below the 24,670 sold during the same period in 2024.
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