or....it's because they don't know when the aluminum plant will be back at enough capacity to make up for regular F-series production, which they're prioritizing over Lightning given the vast disparity of sales....   doesn't have to be a conspiracy.

Perhaps, but there’s also some truth in their response.  Lighting sales are best but only because other BEV pickups are even worse.  And if Lightning inventories are good without manufacturing does that not mean sales are likely very weak?  Obviously could also mean an opportunity to reduce Lightning inventories, and or improve profitability since ICE and HEV F-150 are profitable.  Who knows what is actually true.   What’s concerning is that last sentence leaves timing open ended, and also that plant will be back up at some point but it doesn’t say specifically with Lightning.  Was omission intentional?  I get your opinion of the guy but Ford’s correction could have stated that Lightning production would come back, but it didn’t, leaving door open to speculation.    

See, now this is a good example of using expressive, sporty stying to turn a commuter car into something more desirable, and aspirational. Ford, take notes for your future upcoming affordable EVs. 

Actually in the the same boat from October to April, The Maverick or Model 3 get used once or twice week. Come April to October they are  used  to travel from Boston the our place in Maine nearly weekly.  A small E truck with 3500 towing capacity and 350 mile range( not towing) would be the sweet spot for me.  I tow the boat twice a year from, From Boston to Maine in the spring and then back again in the fall. The Model 3 makes it to the parking lot on the main land where we park the car while on the island and back to Boston on  a single charge. I really would like to replace the the two vehicles with single vehicle.  on the the other hand puirtting 5000 miles per year should result in long life.

You have a smart father.  It’s largely a subjective decision and he’s making the one that makes him feel most comfortable for whatever reason whether others agree or not.  Questioning ideas goes both ways, it’s not just about resisting change.   Playing Devil’s Advocate let’s say a person only drives a few thousand miles a year as you’ve stated.  The cost savings on energy by using electricity versus gasoline doesn’t add up to much because of low annual mileage.  Tesla got a lot of people to buy or lease their cars partly based on energy savings that did not fully materialize.   Also, electric cars are more expensive initially so why spend more than you have to if your ICEV has been meeting all your needs?  Add higher BEV depreciation and decision to go electric gets even more expensive.   Electric cars often have higher insurance rates.  I know my son’s Tesla does.  It’s significant.   Lastly, and most important to me, the issue of battery health.  If batteries are indeed so durable and reliable, why then do auto manufacturers only warranty that they will have 70% capacity after only 8 years or 120,000 miles?  They meet required minimum but what keeps them from offering more to improve sales?  Seriously, I’ve owned many ICE vehicles with greater mileage than that and they still had the same driving range as when new.  It’s not that people don’t want change, it’s more that people don’t want to risk or accept an inferior experience that may cost them more in the long run.  Manufactures can easily mitigate concerns by extending warranty if failure rates are indeed so low as claimed.   Just stating that there’s a lot to consider and buyers are not all the same; not only on how they use their vehicles but also having different financial resources and inherent adversity to taking risks of all kinds.

2027 Kia Telluride Shows More Skin in Fresh Teasers         Meanwhile, Ford lets Explorer go on for a few more years before a redesign.

Mazda Reveals A Stunning Rotary-Powered Concept - And A Futuristic Mazda2 That Talks - Autoblog   Mazda's New 'Coupe' Concept Has a Plug-In Hybrid Rotary Engine. And It Looks Gorgeous       For now, the two cars are just concepts, but we hope to see some of their styling cues on future models soon. Or Mazda could just build both—we’d be happy with that, too.   ---   The Lexus LS Coupe Concept Isn't Really a Coupe But That's Ok   Is the LS Coupe Concept the New Lexus Flagship? - Autoblog         --   Mitsubishi Elevance Concept is a Kickass Plug-In Hybrid Off-Roader - Autoblog The Mitsubishi Elevance Concept Is a Quad-Motor SUV With a Gas Engine             I actually don't mind the looks of the Mitsubishi concept.  

Toyota Corolla Concept Completely Reimagines the Humble Sedan - Autoblog The Striking Toyota Corolla Concept Hits Reset on the Sedan     Reflecting the Corolla’s diverse body style heritage, Toyota plans to offer a wide range of powertrains: from a fully electric model to full-hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. A pure internal combustion version is also in the works, and Toyota isn’t ruling out an ICE Corolla powered by carbon-neutral fuel.      An all-new generation of the Corolla is expected to arrive sometime in 2027, or possibly a bit earlier, as the current one has already been in production for eight long years.   ----       It's just a concept, but I assume it previews the actual production model.  It's interesting.  The back looks a little disjointed, though.

Toyota Officially Launches New Super-Luxury Century Brand to Rival Bentley and Rolls-Royce - Autoblog   Toyota's New Century Brand Debuts Extravagant Coupe     Mind you, this is not a Toyota. It’s a Century, full stop. Now established as a standalone brand positioned at the very top of Toyota’s hierarchy, Century distances itself from its parent company. It also sits well above Lexus, aiming to take on the likes of Rolls-Royce. Much like BMW’s ultra-luxury sub-brand, the newly founded marque strives to deliver a fully bespoke, “One of One” experience.   The precise launch date for the Century brand has yet to be confirmed. As for pricing, if Century falls into line with its two key British competitors, that would suggest a starting price of more than $30 million yen, or $200,000 at current exchange rates, about what the latest version of the Bentley Continental GT goes for. For the moment, Toyota officials indicate Century will exclusively target Japan. But they indicate the automaker could consider expanding to China and even the U.S. if the new brand proves successful in the home market.

In my Maverick hybrid, it is exactly that way....was noticed at first and it kinda reminded me of my youth driving a Ski Doo snowmobile....but like everything else, you become accustomed to it.