Lightning production to end?

[rmc523]

1 hour ago, Rick73 said:

 

I respectfully disagree on clarity.  I believe the statement was purposely worded to be vague.  Doesn’t mean the guy isn’t a jerk, but that’s a different issue.  I try to remain objective as much as possible and leave emotions out of decisions and reasoning.

 

Thats changing the subject.  I didn’t say or even imply Lightning isn’t great, but facts speak for themselves.  Sales are way lower than originally expected and likely lower after tax credits ended.  And I agree that Lightning would be a great value at $40k but doubt that’s profitable and thus not sustainable.  I would not blame Ford and other manufacturers if they stopped building vehicles that people don’t want to pay enough to make them profitable.  If Ford ended Lightning it may be a good thing in advance of new lower-cost mid-size BEV truck.  That could help with future demand and also reduce internal competition.  Not saying Ford has ended Lightning, just that it would not surprise me if they did.  Having said that, I think Ford will likely keep building them as long as they can claim top sales even if they lose money on most of them.  We should know a lot more in a few days when October data is out.

 

The truck market is among the most loyal, and perhaps stubborn set of customers.  Naturally a big shift like EV is going to happen slower in the truck segment.  I think a lot of those early reservations came from non-truck owners, and then we saw them fizzle away.  And stats like towing haven't been the best for the EV trucks, so that'll scare away some of the actual truck owners.

 

Even sales of the "latest and greatest" GM models aren't lighting up the sales charts (they're still new, so that's a factor, but still).  Lightning won't go anywhere.  The optics alone of canceling it would not be good for Ford, IMO.  I think it'll stick around until they figure out what they're doing with T3.

[akirby]

3 hours ago, Rick73 said:

it doesn’t say specifically with Lightning

 

3 hours ago, Rick73 said:

We have good inventories of the F-150 Lightning and will bring Rouge Electric Vehicle Center (REVC) back up at the right time, but don’t have an exact date at this time.

What do you think they build at REVC?

[akirby]

1 hour ago, Rick73 said:

Sales are way lower than originally expected and likely lower after tax credits ended.

Those market predictions were based on $40k pricing and based on government EV mandates.  All of that changed.  Sales will increase as batteries get better and cheaper and more people embrace EVs.  It’s successful within the current market - it’s not Ford’s fault the market changed.

[Rick73]

9 minutes ago, akirby said:

 

What do you think they build at REVC?

If it’s a month or two, then definitely the Lightning.  However, if it’s 2 years from now, who the hell knows?  That’s my point about the statement being vague enough to mean very little and commit to even less.  Ford can do anything and still not contradict that statement.  Wording seems very deliberate to me.

 

By the way, on related subject, GM layoffs mentioned in other thread could be first sign that BEV sales are worse than expected, or maybe not.  Just wondering what happens if existing inventory remains adequate for reduced demand.  Ford could be buying time until they are ready to announce greater change.

[Biker16]

20 hours ago, sullynd said:

The EV1 was a long time ago. 

[Biker16]

18 minutes ago, akirby said:

Those market predictions were based on $40k pricing and based on government EV mandates.  All of that changed.  Sales will increase as batteries get better and cheaper and more people embrace EVs.  It’s successful within the current market - it’s not Ford’s fault the market changed.

Is it?

I mean, they promised a 40k price tag, and 3 months later, removed the 40k variant and increased the vehicle's price every few months. 

[akirby]

1 hour ago, Rick73 said:

If it’s a month or two, then definitely the Lightning.  However, if it’s 2 years from now, who the hell knows?  That’s my point about the statement being vague enough to mean very little and commit to even less.  Ford can do anything and still not contradict that statement.  Wording seems very deliberate to me.

Now you’re just trolling because you can’t be that thick headed.  This is a temporary situation caused by the aluminum shortage which should be resolved in 6 months or so.  They don’t know the exact timing because they don’t know exactly when supplies will return to normal nor do they know what the inventory situation will be when that happens so they don’t know which vehicles will get priority.  REVC will restart Lightning production at some point in the near future.  Reading anything else into those statements is ridiculous.

[akirby]

57 minutes ago, Biker16 said:

Is it?

I mean, they promised a 40k price tag, and 3 months later, removed the 40k variant and increased the vehicle's price every few months. 

They did t promise anything, they estimated.  Then post Covid inflation and other factors significantly raised their material costs.  Did they take advantage of market conditions to raise prices even further?  Probably.  Who wouldn’t in that situation?  Doesn’t change the current market or Ford’s market share.

[fuzzymoomoo]

19 hours ago, wildosvt said:

 

C Crew going back in to DTP.. RevC and new hires to fill it.

lol we’ve been hearing that since they came to MAP 

[wildosvt]

2 hours ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

lol we’ve been hearing that since they came to MAP 

 

 

Nobody is leaving MAP. Current RevC and referrals to fill it. Q1. 

[morgan20]

On 10/28/2025 at 10:34 AM, T-dubz said:

This is lazy ai slop

 

In this case ai isn't "artificial intelligence", it's "real stupidity".

 

On 10/28/2025 at 6:24 PM, sullynd said:

I’ve got 52,000 miles on my 22 Lightning. I have two ICE I could drive instead (15 Edge and 23 Maverick) and we choose the Lightning every time*. It’s sooo much better for roadtrips that it is laughable when people assume otherwise. 

*The only time we didn’t is the one time we had to tow over 150 miles. Less than that and we tow with the Lightning. It’s a towing beast. 

 

 

Congrats my friend. I'm up to 64k miles on my '22 F-150 Lightning. Just got back from a fishin' and campin' trip near Terre Haute. The Lightning towed the boat and all the other gear with incredible ease. Like you said, it's a towing beast.

 

On 10/29/2025 at 10:55 AM, akirby said:

Two neighbors have them and could not be happier.  It’s everything that’s great about F150 just with an EV powertrain.  If they were able to sell them for $40k sales would probably double.

 

Yea, I like what you said there, It’s everything that’s great about F150 just with an EV powertrain. To me, that makes it the best F-150 there is. I've owned seven F-150s in the past 30 years and the '22 Lightning is by far the most satisfying among all of 'em. And you're also right about If they were able to sell them for $40k sales would probably double. About $40k was the price of mine. Hopefully the big shots at Ford are able to apply the lessons they learned building F-150 Lightning for the past four years, advances in battery technology, and all the newfangled know how at the skunkworks to make F-150 Lightning at the $40k price point a reality again.

 

Ford needs to obey its old slogan for F-150 Lightning, Novelis aluminum factory fire taken into consideration:

 

Edited October 31 by morgan20

[jpd80]

It’s interesting that Ford mentioned suspending Lightning production as a way of

freeing up more aluminum for other F Series trucks, that’s a tell on profitability.

[02MustangGT]

Speaking of Lightning being canceled…

 

https://fordauthority.com/2025/11/ford-f-150-lightning-at-risk-of-cancellation-report/

 

 

[Sherminator98]

1 hour ago, 02MustangGT said:

Speaking of Lightning being canceled…

 

https://fordauthority.com/2025/11/ford-f-150-lightning-at-risk-of-cancellation-report/

 

Well the T3 will start production in 2027 sometime...so its almost 2026, so seeing it cancelled by the end of next year wouldn't be too big of a surprise, esp if demand is low. 

[02MustangGT]

12 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

Well the T3 will start production in 2027 sometime...so its almost 2026, so seeing it cancelled by the end of next year wouldn't be too big of a surprise, esp if demand is low. 

T3 production starting in 2027 is possible but highly unlikely considering Ford’s other near term investments/projects (not to mention EPA regulations being reconsidered and CAFE fines being eliminated).  We shall see what the market and regulations dictate.

[Biker16]

On 10/29/2025 at 3:54 PM, akirby said:

They did t promise anything, they estimated.  Then post Covid inflation and other factors significantly raised their material costs.  Did they take advantage of market conditions to raise prices even further?  Probably.  Who wouldn’t in that situation?  Doesn’t change the current market or Ford’s market share.

 

Ford F-150 Lightning Truck | Articles | Ford Motor Company https://share.google/4TlNAnCJYgPxVUVMm

 

I don't think we need to revise history.  There is far too much revisionist history right now, board said starting at 40K. Full stop. I wish we would stop filling in the blanks with opinions instead of facts. No one here knows the profitability of any Ford product, why do we try the hard to figure out profitability, instead of why the company isn't producing fresh and innovative product.

[Sherminator98]

4 minutes ago, 02MustangGT said:

T3 production starting in 2027 is possible but highly unlikely considering Ford’s other near term investments/projects (not to mention EPA regulations being reconsidered and CAFE fines being eliminated).  We shall see what the market and regulations dictate.

 

 

Quote

Ford confirmed the delays in a statement to Car and Driver. "We communicated timing adjustments for our next-gen electric van and electric full-size pickup to our suppliers and employees in June," a spokesperson said. "F-150 Lightning, America’s best-selling electric truck, and E-Transit continue to meet today’s customer needs."
 

Ford also said that it plans to start building prototypes for the T3 truck in 2027, and it has previously stated that the plant in Stanton, Tennessee, has a capacity of up to 500,000 trucks per year. Not much is known about the electric truck or van, but both are expected to be built around dedicated EV platforms, freed from the shackles of their gas-powered counterparts.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a65637114/ford-delays-next-gen-electric-truck-van/

So reading in between the lines on this-they will be starting production in roughly 24 months but full production won't hill till 2028 CY. 

 

But of course this is all subject to change....and try to think long term here-they might get a reprieve till 2029, but that could all change again then with a new administration.  

[02MustangGT]

27 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

 

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a65637114/ford-delays-next-gen-electric-truck-van/

So reading in between the lines on this-they will be starting production in roughly 24 months but full production won't hill till 2028 CY. 

 

But of course this is all subject to change....and try to think long term here-they might get a reprieve till 2029, but that could all change again then with a new administration.  

I’m not doubting or disputing the validity of the quotes from the article (there are examples of statements or “quotes” from Ford to the media almost every single day).  I will, however, doubt and dispute Ford’s ability to deliver on what they have stated on this subject.  

[rmc523]

15 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

Well the T3 will start production in 2027 sometime...so its almost 2026, so seeing it cancelled by the end of next year wouldn't be too big of a surprise, esp if demand is low. 

 

This is where I go with it too.  This could just be connecting dots that don't connect.  In that they don't see a benefit to restarting it with a T3 version (relatively) around the corner.  They might be able to coast on existing inventory for a while.

[akirby]

I still think T3 is an important future product.  But it’s ok to delay it for better technology and lower cost.

[rmc523]

8 minutes ago, akirby said:

I still think T3 is an important future product.  But it’s ok to delay it for better technology and lower cost.

 

Except you could endlessly say that.

I do think they should take CE1 learnings and apply it, but also at some point you just have to go through with something.

[sullynd]

12 minutes ago, akirby said:

I still think T3 is an important future product.  But it’s ok to delay it for better technology and lower cost.

I always thought it was vanity. Fords cybertruck. 
 

But I’m biased. I love my Lightning. 
 

Instead of T3 I’d like to see Ford take what they learned from T3, what they learned from CE1, what they know from building the best damn trucks forever, and apply it to an all new F150 range. F150 should be the best damn ICE truck, the best damn HEV Truck, the best damn EREV truck, and the best damn BEV truck you can buy.  Ford has three out of four TODAY. Challenge is how to hold that position in the future. 

[akirby]

19 minutes ago, sullynd said:

I always thought it was vanity. Fords cybertruck. 
 

But I’m biased. I love my Lightning. 
 

Instead of T3 I’d like to see Ford take what they learned from T3, what they learned from CE1, what they know from building the best damn trucks forever, and apply it to an all new F150 range. F150 should be the best damn ICE truck, the best damn HEV Truck, the best damn EREV truck, and the best damn BEV truck you can buy.  Ford has three out of four TODAY. Challenge is how to hold that position in the future. 

I think there is room for both - a full blown F150 with F150 capabilities and T3 which would essentially be a F100 just slightly bigger than Ranger with Ranger like capability.  A cheaper version for those who don’t need the extra capability.

[rmc523]

26 minutes ago, akirby said:

I think there is room for both - a full blown F150 with F150 capabilities and T3 which would essentially be a F100 just slightly bigger than Ranger with Ranger like capability.  A cheaper version for those who don’t need the extra capability.

 

So basically a Ford R1-T?

[akirby]

58 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

 

Except you could endlessly say that.

I do think they should take CE1 learnings and apply it, but also at some point you just have to go through with something.

You have to weigh the future improvements vs the market at that time.  If you can make a decent profit then go for it now and refine it later.  But if you’re breaking even or losing money then why bother?  Also if the potential market is small then it doesn’t hurt to wait.