If there were ever any doubts about Ford Motor Co.’s commitment to an electric vehicle future, they were erased when the Dearborn automaker unveiled its F-150 Lightning all-electric pickup in May.
Not only is the F-150 Lightning an EV version of Ford’s top-selling and most-profitable vehicle, but its entry- level price tag, which is just south of $40,000, is well within the budget of many truck buyers and below the sticker price of rival electric trucks slated to hit the market.
The market quickly responded to the new pickup. Two days after the unveiling, Jim Farley, Ford’s president and CEO, took to Twitter to announce that more than 44,500 customers had ponied up the refundable $100 to reserve their place in line to receive a battery-powered F-150 next year. Many more have signed on since.
“For both Ford and the American auto industry, the F-150 Lightning represents a defining moment as we progress toward a zero-emissions, digitally connected future,” says Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford. “(The) F-Series (has been) America’s best-selling truck for 44 years, the backbone of work across the country, and a trusted icon for generations of customers. Now we’re revolutionizing it for a new generation.”
The F-150 Lightning is part of Ford’s $22-billion global electric vehicle plan to lead electrification in its areas of strength, starting with zero-emissions versions of its most popular vehicle lines, including the new Mustang Mach-E and redesigned Transit Van.
