Ford Amps Up F-150 Lightning Production to Meet Demand
First, the bad news: In December, Ford said the reservation window for the all-electric 2022 F-150 Lightning was closed after more than 160,000 customers reserved one. Now, the good news: There’s still a way to reserve the Lightning, and Ford is planning to nearly double its production capacity of the pickup truck to meet growing customer demand.
Related: Up Close With the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning: Substance Over Style
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Shop the 2022 Ford F-150 near you
In its initial announcement, the automaker committed to building 80,000 trucks annually, but it now plans to produce around 150,000 trucks per year. And although that math doesn’t exactly add up, Ford says it’s pulling out all the stops to increase production and work on procuring additional key components like battery cells, battery trays and electric drive systems.
Ford says the first wave of reservation holders, who each plunked down $100, will be able to start converting their reservations into orders starting Thursday, Jan. 6. Customers who have yet to reserve their truck can sign up for an invitation to place an order in the next few months.
The ordering process is special for the Lightning. Ford calls it a wave-by-wave reservation process, where reservation holders watch for an invitation via email from the automaker for next steps. Alternately, customers can log into their Ford.com account over the next few months for updates. Shoppers who don’t receive invitations to convert their reservation into an order for the 2022 model year will have an opportunity to order a vehicle for a future model year at a later date, Ford says.
Big Buzz
Ford’s first all-electric pickup truck has been making big waves for the automaker. When it first announced the truck, Ford estimated the Lighting would put out 563 horsepower and 775 pounds-feet of torque from its dual-motor, four-wheel drive battery-electric powertrain. That would make the Lightning the most powerful F-150 yet; a targeted mid-four-second 0-60-mph time would make it among the quickest. Range estimates were less impressive, however, with the automaker targeting 300 miles of EPA-rated range for the Lightning’s extended-range version and 230 miles for the standard-range version.
The competition, meanwhile, will likely deliver a bit more range: Tesla is aiming for 300-plus miles of range for its dual-motor Cybertruck, and Rivian expects the same from its R1T. GM estimates the Silverado electric pickup, set for a full reveal tomorrow, will get more than 400 miles of maximum range.
The Lightning’s numbers were enough to pique consumer interest, however. The reservation window opened in the fall and quickly filled up. Ford said the truck has been garnering unprecedented interest and bringing new shoppers to the brand, with more than 75% of reservation holders new to the Blue Oval.
What’s Next?
Ford says the electric truck is moving to the final phase of pre-production testing, with more than 1 million miles of real-world driving before it goes on sale. Customers can expect deliveries to start this spring, and prices will range from around $40,000 to $90,000 depending on trim level and equipment. The 2022 F-150 Lightning is built at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Mich., near Ford’s headquarters.
Ford’s electrification plans don’t stop with the Lightning. The 2022 E-Transit all-electric van goes on sale early this year, followed by more Mustang Mach-E EVs. The automaker announced last year that it’s also increasing production of the Mach-E with the hopes of reaching 200,000-plus units per year by 2023.
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