Ford Lightning Strikes Out? F-150 EV Future Under a Cloud of Losses

TL;DR: Ford's all-electric F-150 Lightning might be heading for the scrapyard. Reports suggest the automaker is considering pulling the plug on its ambitious electric pickup due to over $13 billion in EV losses and slumping demand. It's a major backtrack in the electric truck race.

Meta: Ford is reportedly considering discontinuing the F-150 Lightning electric pickup amidst deepening financial losses and softening demand, marking a significant retreat in the EV truck segment.

Talk about a lightning strike that missed its target! Ford's F-150 Lightning, once hailed as the next Model T, is reportedly on the chopping block. Word on the street, according to The Wall Street Journal, is that Ford execs are seriously debating whether to pull the plug on the all-electric pickup. This ain't just a hiccup, people; this is a full-blown retreat from a segment Ford once thought it would dominate. Over $13 billion in EV losses since 2023? That's a lot of dough to lose on a truck, even one that plugs in!

The Lightning arrived with more hype than a championship fight, with Ford projecting sales of 150,000 units annually. While it did become the best-selling electric pickup in the U.S., it never hit those sky-high targets. Less than 100,000 units sold since 2022, and only 24,577 through the first ten months of this year? That's not exactly setting the world on fire, unless it's a supplier's aluminum facility, which ironically, paused production recently.

The Great EV Recalibration

Ford ain't alone in this cold-feet dance. Stellantis ditched plans for an all-electric Ram 1500, and General Motors is scaling back its EV ambitions. It seems like the whole industry is hitting the brakes after years of pedal-to-the-metal EV expansion. The market's tougher than a two-dollar steak, and profitability is proving to be a slippery beast.

Ford's now prioritizing its good old gasoline and hybrid F-150s, the cash cows that keep the lights on. A spokesperson tried to put a brave face on it, saying the Lightning is still the best-selling electric pickup despite competition from the Cybertruck, Chevy, GMC, Hummer, and Rivian. But when you're talking about discontinuing it, "best-selling" starts to sound like a consolation prize.

"What I can say is that 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."

Right now, Lightning production is paused. The big question isn't just when it restarts, but if it ever does. This whole situation is a stark reminder that even with a strong brand and a groundbreaking product, the road to EV dominance is paved with serious challenges and even bigger losses.

What's Next

Ford is facing a critical decision point. If they do pull the plug on the F-150 Lightning, it would signal a major shift in their EV strategy, likely focusing on more profitable models or a slower transition pace. We'll be watching to see if this is an isolated cut or the beginning of a larger trend for legacy automakers struggling to balance EV ambition with market reality. Meanwhile, the electric pickup truck segment just got a whole lot more unpredictable. You gotta adapt, or get left behind, that's just how the cookie crumbles, baby.