Ford has stopped production of the electric F-150 Lightning in its current form and has shifted assembly capacity back to producing gasoline-powered versions of the F-150. The automaker announced this in December, effectively putting an end to the story of the all-electric pickup, which had been on the market for about three and a half years.
Production of the F-150 Lightning has been repeatedly suspended due to weak demand, and the model itself has regularly become more expensive amid rising costs and declining interest from buyers. American media note that the electric pickup never became a mass-market product, despite a high-profile start and high demand in the first months of sales.
Workers involved in the Lightning line have been transferred to the production of gasoline-powered F-150s, which continue to sell steadily in the US market. At the same time, Ford emphasizes that the company has not completely abandoned the idea of an electrified pickup.
The manufacturer has confirmed the development of a second-generation F-150 Lightning, but this will be a series hybrid in the EREV format - an electric vehicle with a gasoline engine operating as a range extender. According to Ford, this version will retain electric dynamics - acceleration to 100 km/h in less than 5 seconds - and provide a range of more than 700 miles (about 1130 km).
Thus, Ford has effectively recognized the limitations of an all-electric pickup for the mass market and decided to focus on a compromise scheme that combines electric drive and ICE.