There are new cars that speak to our changing cultural tastes every year. But there is rarely an automotive weathervane as significant as the Ford F-150 Lightning.
If the first electric pickup truck to reach the American market succeeds, it could prove that the industry’s plan to electrify transportation can work for most drivers. If it fails, it could cast serious doubt on that plan.
Ford Doubling Production Plans
Reuters reports that Ford has received so many pre-orders for the truck that it’s doubling production.
“The No. 2 U.S. automaker is targeting annual production of more than 80,000 in 2024, up from its prior target of more than 40,000,” according to Reuters.
Impressive Feature List, But Some Doubtful Observers
The F-150 Lightning is an electric version of America’s best-selling vehicle, the Ford F-150. Ford claims the truck will have a range of up to 300 miles from powertrains with up to 563 horsepower. It’s also packed with practical features like outlets to power tools at the job site or gear at the campground. It also has the ability to power a house in a blackout for up to three days.
But the company hasn’t said what happens to the range when the bed is full and the electric powertrain is carrying its full payload capacity. Nor has it revealed what towing does to the battery.
While Americans have accepted electric vehicles (EVs) for commuter duty, surveys have hinted that some are skeptical about whether an EV truck can do everything they ask of a full-size pickup.
It’s the Vanguard of an Army of Electric Trucks
Yet the automotive industry has many full-size trucks on the way. Ford’s is just the first, to be followed by an electric Chevy Silverado, an electric Ram 1500, Tesla’s future-punk Cybertruck, and electric trucks from startups like Rivian, Bollinger, Canoo, and Lordstown Motors.
The range in prices is from just under $40,000 (for the Lightning) to the low six-figures (for the most luxurious versions of GMC’s Hummer EV pickup).
So there are a lot of eyes on the fate of the first one to reach showrooms. Reuters reports, “the new production target includes plans to build about 15,000 next year after the electric truck’s spring launch and 55,000 in 2023.” A second-generation Lightning will come in “late 2025,” Reuters says, with an annual production target “just shy of 160,000.”
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