Ford’s F-150 Lightning starts under $40K, has up to 300 miles of range
DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford Motor Co. unveiled the electric F-150 Lightning via a livestreamed event from Ford World Headquarters Wednesday night — a milestone both for the Blue Oval’s push toward electrification and for the auto industry as a whole as America’s bestselling vehicle goes electric.
Simulated lightning bolts flashed across giant screens on the front of the blue-lit Glass House in the moments before the truck was revealed on stage, with Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford, United Auto Workers Vice President Gerald Kariem, F-150 Lightning Chief Engineer Linda Zhang and Ford CEO Jim Farley on hand to introduce the truck.
“There’s no doubt that this truck is powerful, but it’s also a showcase of what’s to come from Ford,” said Bill Ford. “As America’s favorite vehicle is now electrified, this is a defining moment for our country, a watershed moment for our industry, and on a personal note, it’s really gratifying for me.”
Major moment
From Ford executives to industry analysts to policymakers, all agree the electrification of F-150 is a significant moment for the auto industry as a whole.
Currently, EV sales make up less than 2% of new-vehicle sales in the U.S. But an electric F-150 could represent a major opening in the segment, given that it’s the most popular truck in America.
Last year, Ford sold some 800,000 F-Series trucks and, according to data from Edmunds.com, an estimated 556,000 F-150s. Ford says the truck lineup on its own generates annual revenue of more than $42 billion — more than some of the largest companies in the U.S.
Another factor that could help the electric truck gain momentum: a relatively accessible price point. The base level of F-150 Lightning will start at $39,974, not counting destination fees or tax incentives available to EV buyers. The price tag goes up to $90,000 depending on the trim level and optional features.
By comparison, the base price of the gasoline-powered 2021 F-150 is $28,940.
“A lot of people would think with all of that, all of the features, all that capability, all that technology, that this would be a six-figure trophy truck,” Farley said, announcing the starting price to cheers from the audience.
The significance of F-150’s electrification was underscored this week by President Joe Biden’s visit to the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, where the truck will be built by UAW members.
Biden cast F-150 Lightning as a model for electrification: “Everything that these workers, this historic complex and this state represent, is something that I hope gets modeled around the country.”
And in a move that garnered attention across social media and national news outlets, the president also got a chance to drive the F-150 Lightning during an unscheduled stop at a testing track: “This sucker’s quick,” he told reporters.
The truck is part of Ford’s initial portfolio of electric vehicles that also includes the Mustang Mach-E, which launched late last year, and the forthcoming electric version of the Transit van.
Production on F-150 Lightning will start next spring, with the trucks slated to go on sale in mid-2022. The electric version will be built at the brand-new Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in the historic Rouge complex in Dearborn. The facility is next to Dearborn Truck Plant, where gasoline-powered and hybrid versions of the truck are assembled.