The Ford F-150 Lightning is extensively thought of probably the most necessary new electrical autos of the previous yr — or the previous decade even. In actual fact, the F-150 Lightning was 2022 CleanTechnica Car of the Year (sure, we all know, it’s a truck — however that’s the award title). As a car, we take into account the Ford F-150 Lightning an enormous win for Ford. And clients need it. There’s one drawback, although: Ford can’t produce very lots of them.
In 2022, Ford offered 15,617 F-150 Lightnings. That’s not bringing the home down. In December, the whole was 4,775. Multiply that instances 12 and also you’re at an annual whole of 57,300. Once more, this isn’t Earth shattering. It’s not even a a tenth of the Tesla Mannequin Y’s 2022 gross sales (~760,000). The excellent news final yr was that Ford introduced it was increasing its annual production target from 80,000 to 150,000 F-150 Lightnings a year by the center of 2023. However, actually, the query is: couldn’t Ford promote much more Lightnings if it merely produced extra?
Effectively, now we’ve obtained a solution, presuming Ford is even on monitor to succeed in that 150,000/yr goal it set final yr. If you happen to go to Ford’s web site and buy groceries the F-150 Lighting, that is what you see proper close to the highest beneath the lead picture slideshow: “On account of excessive demand, the present mannequin yr is not obtainable for retail order. Contact your supplier for extra info.”
What that tells us is that Ford didn’t forecast as a lot demand for the electrical pickup truck because it ought to have, didn’t line up the provision chain (most likely batteries) that it ought to have by now, and didn’t ramp up manufacturing capability rapidly sufficient. I believe you must categorize that as a fail. Sure, the car is nice and is a win, however not with the ability to produce that car in excessive volumes and ship it to the shoppers who wish to purchase it’s a particular fail.
How lengthy will it take Ford to treatment this drawback? How lengthy till Ford is producing 150,000 electrical vans a yr? Extra importantly, how lengthy till Ford F-150 Lightning provide is definitely matching demand? And what’s that quantity going to be?
We’d like to see much more particulars on what the bottlenecks are, how Ford is working to resolve them, and what the ramp-up plan is over time. For now, although, we decide on the bittersweet undeniable fact that client demand for the breakthrough electrical pickup truck is much past Ford’s capability to provide it.
Admire CleanTechnica’s originality and cleantech information protection? Contemplate turning into a CleanTechnica Member, Supporter, Technician, or Ambassador — or a patron on Patreon.
Do not wish to miss a cleantech story? Join daily news updates from CleanTechnica on e mail. Or follow us on Google News!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, wish to promote, or wish to recommend a visitor for our CleanTech Speak podcast? Contact us here.
