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Ford F-150 Lightning 2022 production is doubling to accommodate an unexpectedly strong demand for the new EV pickup.
F-150 Lightning Production Ramps Up to Meet Demand
In case you were wondering whether or not the electric vehicle revolution is upon us, the Blue Oval just announced they are getting to work doubling production of the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning full-size pickup truck to 150,000 units annually. Soaring customer demand has the Detroit automaker scrambling to meet it. To do so, a small task force of employees from across Ford departments are digging in with suppliers and internal parts facilities to adapt and expand production capacity. “The reality is clear: People are ready for an all-electric F-150 and Ford is pulling out all the stops to scale our operations and increase production capacity,” said Kumar Galhotra, president of The Americas & International Markets Group.
This is big news. For the past few years, a host of exciting startups has been making waves with plans to show up legacy automakers, like Ford, with slick new vehicles ready to upend the status quo. You can read about the revolution of electric vehicles here, but companies such as Tesla, Rivian and Lordstown are a few of the new names bandied about as pickup truck industry disruptors. Not to mention longtime rival GM with their Silverado and Hummer EVs. However, Tesla is reliably unreliable in hitting promised delivery dates and Rivian recently announced a delay on customer deliveries to 2023. General Motors decided to develop an all-new (read: time consuming) Ultium platform to electrify their Silverado, you can read more about Chevy’s Silverado EV here, but Ford went in a different direction.
A F-150 for the EV Generation
Working from the existing F-150, Ford retrofitted their electrical architecture to create the Lighting. This makes the new EV pickup instantly recognizable to help with adoption by traditionalists, but perhaps more importantly it allowed the Blue Oval to likely be the first automaker selling an electric pickup truck. As of now, the final phase of Lightning pre-production is happening with units rolling off factory lines to enter final real-world testing ahead of customer deliveries this coming spring. Ford’s F-Series has been the best-selling U.S. vehicle for more than 40 years. If they can be first to market with this new Lightning, their stated goal of being the biggest producer of EVs seems plausible if the final product lives up to the hype.
It’s certainly an interesting prospect on paper, with prices starting just under $40,000 for Pro models targeted at contractors on up to $90,000 for Platinum trim, part of which may be offset by the $7500 Federal tax incentive program. Dual motors, front and back, mean 4WD is standard. Basic battery packs are targeting 230 miles of range with the extended-range setup promising 300 miles. That bigger battery will make about 560 hp and 775 lb-ft of torque, good for a sub 5-second sprint to 60 but more importantly to truck buyers, it can tow up to 10,000 pounds. All that juice will also allow for an onboard generator with 9.6 kW of tailgating and jobsite power.
Ford notes owners will have access to nearly 20,000 charging stations under the Blue Oval charge network that they say is the largest public charging network in North America. In addition, when you install the Intelligent Backup Power equipment at home, the Lighting can reverse electron flow to power your house for up to 10 days if the grid goes down. You can read about the upcoming Ford F-150 Lighting 2022 in more detail, but features like BlueCruise hands-free driving, a 15.5” infotainment screen and 14 cubic foot Mega Power Frunk look poised to ensure this new EV lives up to expectations.
Ford’s EV Increases Production for All Electric Vehicles
It remains to be seen if Ford will be as successful selling electric-powered F-150s as they have been with gas-powered versions, let alone an all-EV future. However, there is no denying that they are giving it their all. Along with boosting production of the Lighting, they are tripling production of the Mustang Mach-E and the E-Transit EV van is set to hit dealer lots shortly. Of the 200,000 Lightning reservations, over 75% were from customers new to the Ford brand making it a massive success from the perspective of generating future loyalty. All of this points to the company’s target worldwide EV capacity of 600,000 vehicles annually that much more plausible. With Lightning reservation holders officially cut loose on making a formal order, we’ll soon find out.
