Three years ago, Ford opened reservations for a $40,000 electric F-150 and received over 200,000 deposits within months. The enthusiasm seemed to validate what Ford bet billions on: America’s bestselling truck could go electric and bring the mass market with it.
In December 2025, Ford shut down the assembly line. The all-electric F-150 Lightning is dead. Total production reached approximately 63,000 trucks across three model years, sold at prices climbing to $70,000. Ford’s Model e division bled $3.6 billion through September.
CEO Jim Farley delivered the verdict bluntly: “These really expensive $70,000 electric trucks, as much as I love the product, they didn’t make sense.”
The replacement abandons the pure-electric powertrain. Ford’s next-generation Lightning arrives as an extended-range electric vehicle, adding a gas generator to push total range beyond 700 miles. The EREV provides the profitability path Ford couldn’t find with batteries alone. It also signals the end of Ford’s flagship bet on pure-electric trucks.
The next-generation F-150 Lightning keeps the name but abandons the pure-electric powertrain. Ford’s calling it an EREV, an extended-range electric vehicle that functions like a plug-in hybrid with a larger battery.
The drivetrain remains fully electric. Twelve electric motors drive the wheels. A gas-powered generator recharges the battery pack during operation, extending total range to over 700 miles compared to the outgoing Lightning’s maximum 320-mile EPA rating.
Ford claims sub-five-second acceleration and towing capability it describes as “tows like a locomotive.” Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV, digital, and design officer, stated the EREV operates in all-electric mode 90 percent of the time while eliminating range anxiety during long-distance towing, the Lightning EV’s most criticized limitation.
The EREV will be manufactured at Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant. Ford hasn’t specified launch timing or pricing.
Ford lost money on every Lightning sold. The 2025 model started around $55,000, a $15,000 increase from the $40,000 originally promised when reservations opened in 2021. Even at that higher price, profitability remained out of reach.
Sales never matched early enthusiasm. Ford received over 200,000 reservations by the end of 2021. Production reality delivered different numbers:
- 2022: 15,617 units sold (partial year, production started April)
- 2023: 24,165 units sold
- 2024: Approximately 23,000 units sold
- 2025: 23,034 units through Q3 before production ended
Ford planned annual production capacity of 150,000 units by mid-2023. Demand never materialized. The company halved production plans in 2024, cutting from approximately 3,200 weekly units to 1,600.
The federal $7,500 EV tax credit elimination accelerated the decline. Lightning sales dropped 60.8 percent following credit expiration. Quality issues plagued early production. Towing range, critical for truck buyers, fell dramatically under load. Reliability concerns deterred traditional F-150 customers accustomed to proven durability.
Farley summarized the market reality: “The very high-end EVs, the $50,000, $70,000, $80,000 vehicles, they just weren’t selling.”
The F-150 Lightning Timeline: 2019 to 2025
January 2019: Ford announces plans to produce a fully electric light pickup at the Detroit Auto Show.
July 2019: Ford demonstrates prototype capabilities by towing 1.25 million pounds on rails, generating significant media coverage.
September 2020: Ford announces construction of the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center at its historic Rouge complex in Dearborn.
May 19, 2021: Ford reveals the F-150 Lightning during a live presentation. Initial pricing announced at $40,000 for base model. Reservations open.
June 2021: Ford receives over 100,000 reservations within three weeks of unveiling.
December 2021: Total reservations exceed 200,000, signaling massive demand.
April 26, 2022: Production begins at Rouge Electric Vehicle Center. First customer delivery occurs May 26, 2022.
2023: F-150 Lightning wins Motor Trend Truck of the Year. Kelley Blue Book names it top electric truck. Production capacity increases target 150,000 annual units. Sales total 24,165 units, well below capacity.
January 2024: Ford announces production cuts, halving weekly output due to lower demand. Base price increased to approximately $55,000.
2024: Sales remain flat around 23,000 units. Federal EV tax credit expiration causes 60.8 percent sales decline. Ford’s Model e division posts multi-billion-dollar losses.
October 2025: Reports surface that Ford will pause Lightning production for extended period.
December 2025: Ford officially ends F-150 Lightning production. Company announces next-generation EREV replacement with 700+ mile range. Ford takes $19.5 billion charge on EV assets.
What This Means for Electric Trucks
The Lightning represented Ford’s flagship EV effort, backed by the bestselling vehicle nameplate in America. If Ford couldn’t make an electric F-150 profitable at $55,000 to $70,000, the implications extend beyond one product line.
Rivian, the pure-EV startup, burns through billions quarterly while selling premium electric trucks. GM’s electric Silverado and Sierra face similar pricing and profitability challenges. Tesla’s Cybertruck, after years of delays, launched at prices well above initial promises.
The EREV approach acknowledges market reality: truck buyers demand range and towing capability that current battery technology can’t deliver at profitable price points. Adding a gas generator solves the range problem while maintaining electric drivetrain benefits.
Ford’s pivot suggests the path forward for electric trucks involves compromise. Not pure EVs. Not traditional hybrids. Extended-range electric vehicles that function as EVs for daily use but rely on fossil fuels for the capabilities that define truck ownership: towing boats, hauling equipment, covering distance in remote areas without charging infrastructure.
Whether consumers accept that compromise at pricing Ford hasn’t yet disclosed remains the unanswered question.
The Verdict
The F-150 Lightning entered production with massive expectations. Over 200,000 reservations. Industry awards. The backing of America’s truck leader. It exited production three years later having sold fewer than 63,000 units while losing Ford billions.
The engineering worked. Acceleration impressed. Technology delivered. The business case didn’t. Production costs remained too high. Pricing exceeded what the market would bear. Towing range limitations alienated core truck buyers. Profitability never materialized.
The EREV replacement addresses the range limitation with a gas generator. It doesn’t address the fundamental question: can Ford build an electric truck at a price people will pay and a cost that generates profit? The 700-mile range solves one problem. The spreadsheet presents another.
For consumers who reserved a Lightning in 2021 expecting a $40,000 electric truck, that vehicle never existed beyond the press release. For those considering an electric truck now, the options narrow to expensive startups, delayed GM products, or waiting for Ford’s EREV with unannounced pricing and uncertain timing.
The F-150 Lightning proved electric trucks are possible. It didn’t prove they’re profitable. The EREV suggests Ford isn’t confident the pure-electric version ever will be.
F-150 Lightning Specifications (2025 Model Year, Final Year)
| Pricing | Base MSRP: $54,995 / As-tested: $70,000+ (top trims) |
| Motor | Dual electric motors (front and rear) |
| Power | 452 hp (standard range) / 580 hp (extended range) |
| Torque | 775 lb-ft |
| Drivetrain | AWD (electric) |
| 0-60 mph | 4.0 seconds (extended range) |
| EPA Range | 240 miles (standard) / 320 miles (extended) |
| Battery | 98 kWh (standard) / 131 kWh (extended range) |
| Charging | DC fast charging: 15-80% in 44 minutes (extended range) |
| Towing Capacity | 7,700 lbs (standard) / 10,000 lbs (extended range) |
| Payload Capacity | 2,000 lbs |
| Seating Capacity | 5 passengers |
| Bed Length | 5.5 feet or 6.5 feet |
About Ford Motor Company: Founded in 1903, Ford manufactures vehicles under the Ford and Lincoln brands. The company’s F-Series pickup trucks have been America’s bestselling vehicles for over four decades. Ford’s Model e division handles electric vehicle development and reported $3.6 billion in losses through September 2025.
Article Last Updated: December 17, 2025.
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Michael Kahn is the publisher of The Weekly Driver, serving as writer, photographer, and content creator. With a keen eye for storytelling and a passion for adventure, he specializes in uncovering the stories and experiences of automobile enthusiasts. Michael’s work is inspired by his love for off-the-beaten-path road trips, global exploration, and the pursuit of exceptional culinary experiences, all captured through the lens of a world traveler and automotive enthusiast.