The F-150 Lightning line may be shut down for good.
No One Wants EV Trucks
That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. In October, Ford sold just 1,500 Lightnings, the fewest of any model.
The Wall Street Journal reports Ford Considers Scrapping Electric Version of F-150 Truck
Ford Motor (F) executives are in active discussions about scrapping the electric version of its F-150 pickup, according to people familiar with the matter, which would make the money-losing truck America’s first major EV casualty.
The Lightning, once described by Ford as a modern Model T for its importance to the company, fell far short of expectations as American truck buyers skipped the electric version of the top-selling truck. Ford has racked up $13 billion in EV losses since 2023.
“The demand is just not there” for F-150 Lightning and other full-size trucks, said Adam Kraushaar, owner of Lester Glenn Auto Group in New Jersey. He sells Ford, GMC, Chevy and other brands. “We don’t order a lot of them because we don’t sell them.”
Ram truck-maker Stellantis earlier this year called off plans to make an electric version of its full-size pickup. General Motors executives have discussed discontinuing some electric trucks, according to people familiar with the matter. Sales of Tesla’s angular, stainless steel Cybertruck pickup tanked this year. And EV truck-maker Rivian has been cutting jobs to conserve cash.
A turn away from electric full-size trucks would align with Ford CEO Jim Farley’s more recent comments about the market: that EVs are great for commuting and other local driving, while hefty trucks will continue to need hybrid or all-gasoline powertrains.
In October, the first month since the end of the federal EV tax credit, Ford’s overall EV sales in the U.S. fell 24% from a year earlier. Ford dealers sold 66,000 gas-powered F-Series pickups, up a tick from a year earlier, and just 1,500 Lightnings, the fewest of any model.
When Ford’s Farley launched the Lightning five years ago he promised a pickup as fast as a sports car and as affordable as a conventional truck. It would drive hundreds of miles on a single charge, and carry enough voltage to power a home for days.
“It’s like a smartphone that can tow 10,000 pounds,” Farley said at a celebration to launch the vehicle.
GM has also lost billions on electric trucks after rolling out a string of them in recent years, including an electric version of the F-150’s rival, the Chevrolet Silverado. The company has three electric pickups, and it sold about 1,800 of them last month, according to Motor Intelligence.
Ford’s Farley has conceded that, when it comes to EVs, Americans want smaller, affordable models like those sold by Chinese automakers in markets outside the U.S., and not big, pricey trucks. The company is now racing to build a compact $30,000 EV pickup.
Truck Buyers Have Spoken
I have a suggestion.
Instead of building a compact $30,000 EV pickup, try building a $18,000 EV car built for city driving.
BYD Reveal Cheap Kei Car – The Brands Cheapest EV EVER
The Electric Viking reported “BYD has unveiled its most affordable electric vehicle yet — a compact Kei car designed for urban driving and priced to undercut all previous models. This tiny EV marks BYD’s bold entry into the ultra-low-cost segment, targeting Japan and other city-focused markets.”
Ford CEO: China’s EV Costs, Tech, and Quality “Far Superior” to the West
On June 30, I noted Ford CEO: China’s EV Costs, Tech, and Quality “Far Superior” to the West
“Drivers get in the car and their phone pairs automatically, and an AI companion equivalent to ChatGPT handles everything from navigation to entertainment. The vehicles also have facial recognition that knows which seat someone is in and adjusts media preferences.“
In China, BYD offers a range of electric vehicles (EVs) at various price points, with some models starting under $10,000. For example, the BYD Seagull EV has a starting price of 69,800 yuan (approximately $9,555) and can be found with discounts down to 55,800 yuan (about $7,780). The company also offers more premium models like the Han EV, which starts at around $32,800.
Ford talks about a $30,000 EV truck, but by the time the thing is loaded with what consumers expect, the price will be $42,000.
So aim for $18,000 and offer something very good for $19,800.
Zoomers will buy it. They are not buying trucks. And the boomers who are buying trucks don’t want an EV.
Tesla Cybertruck Sales Are Flatlining
The Verge reports Tesla Cybertruck Sales Are Flatlining
Tesla only sold 5,385 Cybertrucks in the third quarter, down 63 percent compared to the same period in 2024, when the automaker delivered over 14,000. The company has sold a little more than 16,000 Cybertrucks so far in 2025 — a far cry from the 250,000 that Elon Musk once predicted would be sold annually. Tesla is now expected to deliver around 20,000 Cybertrucks this year, a steep drop from the estimated 50,000 sold in 2024.
[This next paragraph is downright funny].
Other electric trucks haven’t fared as poorly as the Cybertruck. The Rivian R1T is up 13 percent this quarter year over year, while the Ford F-150 Lightning is up 39.7 percent.
[Yeah right. Discuss percentages when the actual numbers are laughable. And it was all about a fool’s mission on the last EV incentives that Trump removed. The next paragraph is my hoot of the day.]
Things have gotten so dire for the Cybertruck that Elon Musk has resorted to selling them to himself. As Electrek reports, Tesla has been delivering unsold Cybertrucks to Musk’s private companies, SpaceX and xAI. The trucks that are going to SpaceX are intended to replace the company’s fleet of internal-combustion engine vehicles, according to the site.
VW Downgraded Forecasts Three Times this Year, a Big Warning for GM?
On October 31, I noted VW Downgraded Forecasts Three Times this Year, a Big Warning for GM?
It’s been a really bad year for VW. What’s ahead for the US?
Small EVs should be inexpensive but they aren’t. Trump has walled off the US with tariffs.
GM and Ford union costs are massive. Both Ford and GM lost huge amounts of money on EVs.
First, Biden tried to force then issue. Now, Trump wants to roll back time.
Neither approach will work. The result is the high-priced cars and no incentive to innovate with unions fighting innovation every step of the way.
Zoomers would love a $15,000 middle of the road BYD but Trump says no.
Regardless, one thing is clear at Ford, GM, and Tesla: Consumers don’t want EV trucks.
This post originated on MishTalk.Com
Thanks for Tuning In!
Mish
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