Ford executives are reportedly discussing killing the F-150 Lightning, the company's flagship electric pickup truck, just three years after it launched. The conversations come as Ford has already paused Lightning production to prioritize gas and hybrid versions of America's best-selling truck, signaling a potential retreat from the EV market that could reshape the electric vehicle landscape.
Ford is having second thoughts about its electric future. Executives at the Dearborn automaker are reportedly discussing whether to kill the F-150 Lightning, the company's flagship electric pickup truck, according to The Wall Street Journal. The conversations represent a stunning reversal for a vehicle that was supposed to electrify America's most popular truck.
The discussions aren't happening in a vacuum. Ford already paused Lightning production in late October, choosing instead to prioritize hybrid and gas-powered versions of the F-150. The move came after months of production headaches, including a fire at aluminum supplier Novelis' factory in Oswego, New York, that disrupted the supply chain earlier this year.
But the real story here isn't about supply chain hiccups - it's about demand. Despite being one of the top-selling electric trucks in America, the Lightning has never found its footing with consumers. Ford has struggled to move more than a few thousand units per quarter, a far cry from the mainstream success the company envisioned when it introduced the truck in 2021 with a promised $40,000 base price.
That pricing promise quickly evaporated. By the time Ford started production in 2022, most customers were paying significantly more. The sticker shock, combined with range anxiety and charging infrastructure concerns, kept traditional truck buyers on the sidelines.
The timing of these internal discussions feels particularly telling. The electric truck market was already facing headwinds before Republicans in Congress moved to end the federal EV tax credit. Now, with the Trump administration rolling back emissions regulations that encouraged EV adoption, automakers are reassessing their electric strategies.
