The Ford F150 Lightning is the very first Ford electric pickup truck and Ford started shipping the very initial models about a month or two ago. Ford has managed to pack in quite a lot of stuff into the F150 Lightning which made the truck special when compared to most other electric pickup trucks on the market.
When it comes to reliability, it’s difficult to assess how reliable the F150 Lightning is because it just came out. Either way, there were already quite a few recalls for the F150 which are indeed worth talking about. All in all, EVs tend to be more reliable than ICE cars because they are not as complex. It seems like the F150 Lightning is holding up really well until this point.
The first problem with the F150 Lightning is availability as Ford never expected the F150 Lightning to be as popular as it is. The second problem is that Ford is not offering the extended battery option for the Lightning Pro model as that option is only available for those who are buying fleet vehicles.
Another problem with the F150 is the crazy markup dealers are charging for F150 Lightning models. It’s also worth mentioning that most of the features that truly define the whole appeal of the F150 Lightning are optional and expensive.
Ford F150 Lightning – Demand
When Ford first showcased the F150 Lightning, they expected the car to be accepted, but they also thought that an electric F150 is not going to wow the more loyal and older customers groups. Especially those who are used to owning diesel F150 models and those who use them as workhorses. All of this meant that Ford tried to imagine how many people would want to buy the F150 Lightning and decide how many examples they are going to make each year.
Ford was wrong on this one as the F150 Lighting exceeded everyone’s expectations and Ford got a lot more reservations for the truck, so much so that they are not going to be able to produce this many F150 Lightning models for a while. Ford has said that they are investing $850 million to boost the production of the F150 Lightning which hopefully will be enough for about 80,000 units per year as opposed to 40,000.
Ford F150 Lightning – Extended battery package
According to a Ford press release, the F150 Lightning lineup costs out of four different trim levels. The entry-level PRO F150, the XLT, the LARIAT, and the range-topping PLATINUM. According to initial reports, most people are interested in buying the entry-level PRO model as it offers most features an average Ford F150 owner wants.
However, pretty much no one thought that Ford is going to reserve the extended battery option for only the three highest-end trim levels. This means that you can’t buy a Ford F150 Pro model with the extended battery pack which means about 70 miles of additional range. The biggest problem is actually that Ford does offer the extended battery pack for the Pro model, but only for those who buy them as fleet vehicles.
Ford F150 Lightning – Dealer markups
When a brand-new popular car reaches the US market, two things happen. First, the initial models spike in value and they can easily be sold because the demand is a lot higher than the supply. Secondly, dealers are aware of this and when they get a few models, they are prone to charging silly mark-up prices in order to earn a few quick bucks due to initial supply shortages.
This isn’t too big of an issue if you have to pay a small amount over sticker in order to be one of the very customers as you are aware that the car retains value well anyway. However. There are many reports roaming around the internet that some dealers are charging a 50% markup or even more on the F150 Lightning which makes little to no sense. For what is worse, they are still doing that even after they were condemned by the CEO of Ford Automobiles.
Ford F150 Lightning – Optional features
We are all aware of how the automotive industry works and that optional equipment is where most automakers make the most money. This is why some brands such as Porsche charge you obscene amounts of money on optional equipment that comes standard in cars like the Toyota RAV4. However, Porsche has the biggest profit margin per car in the entire car industry partly because of this.
The Ford F150 we all see on commercials and billboards is one with pretty much all the features added onto it. If you compare a relatively barebone F150 Lightning with range-topping models, they don’t even seem like the same models. As such, if you want the true experience, you will have to pay a lot of money for optional equipment.
FAQ Section
Should I buy the Ford F150 Lightning?
The Ford F150 lightning took the world by surprise because it offers features none of us truly expected. The initial reports state that the F150 got a much better reception than anyone thought it would because it is unique and authentic, but still a Ford F150 that is the best-selling car in the US for a while now.
As such, if you love light trucks and you want an EV, you can buy the F150 Lightning and kill two birds with one stone. This means that the F150 Lightning is indeed worth it and you should consider it.
Why did Ford make the F150 Lightning?
Ford first came out with the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the reception of the Mach-E was really good. The reason why Ford decided to make an electric pickup is that they wanted to be the first and because they own the best-selling pickup truck out there.
The F150 Lightning matters because it reaches a group of people that were not initially interested in buying electric vehicles. We need to keep in mind that US customers love pickup trucks, so it makes a lot of sense for Ford to make an electric pickup truck.
What is so special about the Ford F150 Lightning?
The Ford F150 Lightning offers a few really innovative solutions that were never seen before. For starters, the F150 Lightning can power an entire household for a few days thanks to power-sharing options. Secondly, the F150 Lightning is the most practical pickup truck ever because it offers two huge storage spaces.
