The news published by AutoGear is confirmed, still as a (strong) possibility, at the beginning of November: Ford has indeed ended the production of the F-150 Lightning pickup, the electric version of the historically best-selling vehicle in the U.S. The decision is based on the extremely low demand for the model, and to provide an alternative in its offering, the American brand is preparing a new variant, also electric, but with an extended range.
It should be emphasized that, recently, the blue oval company introduced changes to its electrification strategy for its range in the North American market. Among the decisions made by the management of the Dearborn company is also the farewell to the idea of producing a second pickup with electric powertrain, which was under development under the code name T3.
This premature end to the production of the F-150 Lightning contrasts greatly with a dazzling start to its career – with 200,000 units pre-ordered. Now, Ford is focusing on the development of the EREV version, that is, equipped with an extended range system, in which an internal combustion engine is used as a generator to charge the battery that powers the electric traction motors. Any technical details are unknown, but an autonomy of around 1100 km is anticipated.
Ford was also preparing a new electric van for the European market, but this project was similarly abandoned. The brand was also developing an electric commercial vehicle for North America, but the program is under review. The idea is to adapt it, where possible, to equip the vehicle with internal combustion engines, with and without hybrid systems. The other electric vehicles in the North American manufacturer’s catalog will remain in production.
