Ford says it plans to double production of its upcoming electric truck, the F-150 Lightning, to 150,000 vehicles annually by 2023. The news comes as the automaker prepares to start manufacturing and shipping its new EV in the first half of 2022.
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Production of both the F-150 Lightning and F-150 Lightning Pro for commercial customers has entered the final stages of pre-production at the company’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. Deliveries of the first trucks are expected to begin in the spring.
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The number of electric F-150s Ford planned to build in its first few years of production was a bit of a shifting target. Initially, the company targeted just 40,000 vehicles annually, eventually telling suppliers it expected production to increase to 80,000 by early 2023, according to Automotive News. Now, that number has been dramatically increased to 150,000 trucks by mid-2023, a spokesperson said.
Ford recently announced that it would triple production for the Mustang Mach-E, with the expectation that it will reach 200,000 units per year by 2023. Ford's electric delivery truck, the E-Transit, will go on sale early this year.
Ford announced that starting January 6, pre-order holders will be able to start choosing the trim levels for their trucks. The company is using a “reservation process” to let customers know when they can go online to specify the specs for their Lightnings.
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The F-150 Lightning starts at $39,974, but can more than double in price depending on which version you buy. Some Ford dealers are reportedly taking advantage of the strong demand for the Lightning by raising the price by as much as $30,000.
Source of information: theverge.com
