Ford has definitely got onto a winner with the Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck with the amount of interest it has generated.
In news that bodes well for the American company, its upcoming electric pickup truck has amassed more than 160,000 reservations since Ford threw open pre-orders. Each reservation was made with a refundable fee of $100.
When Ford revealed the electric pickup truck in May 2021, many analysts predicted a warm reception, given the popularity of its F-150 ICE truck, which was the best-selling pickup truck in 2020. It was not difficult to see that Ford would find enough EV lovers among its loyal fan base to keep its production plant busy.
Ford had revealed plans to make 15,000 units in 2022, 55,000 in 2023, and 80,000 in 2024. The company later planned to double its production, with a target of 160,000 units in 2025 when it releases the next generation of the truck.
Whichever the case, some reservation holders will remain in the queue for several years. Pre-production of the truck began recently.
The truck got 20,000 pre-orders on day one, with the total climbing to 44,000 within 48 hours. After what appears to be a slow-down in the in-flow of pre-orders, it seems the figure has picked up again.
The F-150 Lightning starts at $40,000 and offers a range of up to 300 miles, with on-board power for workers with electric tools. It will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. President Joe Biden of the US has taken it for a spin.
Ford is one of the legacy automakers trying to pivot to electric vehicles. It has announced plans to spend billions of dollars in its effort to electrify its offerings.
The F-150 Lighting is one of several upcoming trucks from different manufacturers. Tesla also plans to start producing its futuristic Cybertruck in 2022, while it will ramp up production in 2023. In comparison, the Cybertruck has reportedly accumulated more than one million reservations, although it had a two-year lead over the F-150 Lightning.
GM has also resurrected the Hummer as an electric pickup truck that will start selling in 2022.
All of them have been beaten to the market by Rivian, which has started delivering its R1T electric truck. It has a 300-mile range and is designed for exploring nature, with many practical features like a camp kitchen and air compressor.
