Ford stops production of its full-size electric pickup

Ford Ends Production of F-150 Lightning, Shifting Focus to Hybrid Technology

At Walnut Creek Ford, there is a line of Ford F-150 Lightnings in the lot. There wouldn’t have been in 2020 when they were selling like hotcakes. But that was then, and this is now.

On Monday, Ford announced that it was discontinuing production of the full-size EV pickup. "It didn't make sense to keep plowing billions into products that we knew wouldn't make money," said Ford President and CEO Jim Farley. The decision to stop producing the all-electric F-150 Lightning came as a surprise to many, but it has sparked discussions about the future of electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States.

The company described the move as a "consumer-driven" decision. It cited financial losses from its EV initiatives and stated that sales had declined significantly for the all-electric version of its iconic truck line, which can cost from $50,000 to $80,000. Farley noted that the EV market in the US had dropped from 12 percent to just 5 percent in recent months.

Tom McGloughney, who hosts a webcast called State of Charge, shared his personal experience with the F-150 Lightning. He owns one and loves it, but admitted it has trouble towing. He also criticized Ford’s earlier prediction that by 2025, 45 percent of all American car sales would be EV. "I don't know where they came up with that. That's bonkers!" he said. "To think that by 2025, the whole country would be at nearly 50 percent electric vehicle adoption? If that was your bar, then, yeah, you were going to be disappointed."

A Shift Toward Extended Range

Ford said it will now focus on an "extended range" version of the F-150, adding a gas generator to the truck that can recharge it like a plug-in hybrid. This change would double the truck’s range from 350 to about 700 miles. However, this approach doesn’t align with California’s goal to end the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035.

Professor Scott Moura, from UC Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies, suggested that this shift wasn’t a practical strategy from the start. "If the goal is to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, the purity test of being a pure battery electric vehicle may be more about a purity test than actually achieving that goal reasonably," he said.

Political and Financial Factors

Politics is also playing a role in Ford’s decision. The CEO mentioned that the Trump administration’s ending of the federal EV tax credit and the relaxation of fuel and emission standards are causing many automakers to reconsider their commitment to electric vehicles.

Ford reported losing $13 billion on EVs since 2023 and expects to lose another $19.5 billion in closing the line down. The company invested heavily in battery production, and Farley said they will soon get into the energy storage business, similar to Tesla.

Moura hopes that the legacy of the Ford Lightning will lead people to view the electric car market in a more realistic way. "I view the F-150 Lightning as, I think a lot of things were learned," he said.

Future of Electric Vehicles

Despite the challenges, the EV market continues to evolve. While some automakers are scaling back their electric ambitions, others are pushing forward with innovative solutions. The F-150 Lightning, though no longer in production, serves as a reminder of the complexities and uncertainties of transitioning to a fully electric future.

As the industry navigates these changes, the lessons learned from the Lightning may help shape a more sustainable and practical path for electric vehicles in the years to come.