Ford May Kill F-150 Lightning, Report Claims
After halting production of the money-losing F-150 Lightning indefinitely in order to prioritize the significantly more profitable gas-powered and hybrid F-150 models, Ford is reportedly considering going one step further and axing its electric pickup truck.
According to a report on Thursday in the Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources close to the manufacturer, executives are currently in active discussions on the matter. This would be the first major American electric vehicle to be scrapped in a market where demand has significantly weakened.
- Also: Fire, Water and Electricity: Why This Fireman Loves His F-150 Lightning
- Also: Ford to Build More F-150, Super Duty Trucks in 2026
As a reminder, a fire at the Novelis aluminum plant forced the automaker’s hand earlier this fall. All of the hourly employees working on the F-150 Lightning will transfer next door to Dearborn Truck Plant to join the newly announced third crew, with a plan to ramp up F-150 and Super Duty production in 2026.
More than 10,000 F-150 Lightnings were sold in the U.S. during the third quarter, a record. However, this doesn't really help Ford's Model e division, dedicated to electric vehicles, which has lost some $13 billion USD since 2023, including $3.6 billion in the first three quarters of 2025.
While the F-150 Lightning could be discontinued, no changes are seemingly planned for the upcoming next-generation models to be built on the new "Ford Universal EV Platform." This architecture is expected to spawn several affordable electric vehicles, starting with a midsize pickup priced around $30,000 USD sometime in 2027.
Those future EVs represent a $5 billion investment in Louisville, Kentucky and BlueOval Battery Park, Michigan.
The Car Guide will watch closely how this latest development unfolds, and we’ll keep you posted as soon as any official announcements or additional information become available.
