3 Minutes
Ford May Retire the F-150 Lightning: Production on Pause
Last month Ford announced it had temporarily halted production of the F-150 Lightning to prioritize gasoline-powered pickup manufacturing. Hourly workers from the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center were reassigned to the nearby Dearborn truck plant as the automaker reshuffles capacity.
Why the pause happened
The move followed a fire at an aluminum supplier that disrupted the supply chain for high-aluminum platforms. Ford says the short-term change allows the company to concentrate on more profitable trucks that require less aluminum. Despite being the top-selling electric pickup in the U.S., the F-150 Lightning has struggled to gain wide consumer traction.
Sales and market performance
In the third quarter this year Ford delivered just 10,005 Lightning units, bringing year-to-date deliveries to 23,034. That marks roughly a 1% increase year-over-year, but the Lightning remains one of Ford's lower-volume nameplates, trailing models such as the Lincoln Nautilus, the E-Series and the Mustang.
Key sales highlights:
- F-150 Lightning: 10,005 units (Q3); 23,034 units YTD
- Lincoln Nautilus: 26,237 units YTD
- Ford E-Series: 30,195 units YTD
- Ford Mustang: 32,818 units YTD
Reports in the Wall Street Journal indicate Ford executives are actively discussing whether to retire the Lightning. No final decision has been confirmed.
How competitors are faring
The slump in electric pickup demand is not unique to Ford. Ram has recently stopped production of its REV 1500 electric pickup, and General Motors is reportedly reviewing parts of its EV truck lineup. Current GM electric trucks include the Chevrolet Silverado EV, Sierra EV and GMC Hummer EV, but third-quarter figures were modest:
- Chevrolet Silverado EV: 9,379 units (Q3)
- Sierra EV: 6,147 units (Q3)
- GMC Hummer (pickup and SUV combined): 13,233 units (Q3)
GM also paused production of its BrightDrop electric van after about 3,976 units sold in the first nine months, prompting speculation that the Sierra EV could face similar scrutiny. A GM spokesperson has said there are no immediate plans to change production and emphasized efforts to reduce EV pickup manufacturing costs.
Strategic and financial pressure
Industry sources report that Ford has lost around $13 billion on EV programs since 2023. Those losses have already forced strategic reversals: Ford canceled a planned Lincoln EV based on Rivian architecture and shelved some three-row electric crossover projects.
"We're shifting resources to where demand and profitability align," a source familiar with the discussions told reporters.
For buyers and fleet managers, the situation underscores ongoing challenges in scaling electric pickups: raw-material constraints, rising production costs, and mixed consumer demand are forcing OEMs to re-evaluate strategies. Enthusiasts should watch the next 12 months closely for clearer signals on the future of the Lightning and other electric trucks.
Leave a Comment