Key Points
- Ford is discontinuing the all-electric F-150 Lightning and relaunching it as a hybrid (EREV).
- The new hybrid model will have an estimated range of over 700 miles thanks to a gas generator that recharges the battery.
- The move is part of a company-wide pivot away from certain EV models due to low demand and high costs.
- The company expects this major strategy shift to cost it an estimated $19.5 billion.
Ford is making a dramatic U-turn on its flagship electric truck, the F-150 Lightning. Just last month, the all-electric model seemed to be on the chopping block. Now, the company has announced it will reboot the truck as a next-generation hybrid.
Production on the current all-electric F-150 Lightning will end this year. The new version will be an Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV). This is a hybrid in which the truck is always powered by electricity, with a small onboard gas generator used to recharge the large battery. This setup will give the new Lightning an impressive estimated range of more than 700 miles.
This major change is part of a much broader pivot in Ford’s electric vehicle strategy. The company is backing away from some of its more ambitious EV plans, citing “lower-than-expected demand, high costs, and regulatory changes.”
Ford now projects that by 2030, about half of its sales will be hybrids and EVs, marking a significant shift toward a more gradual transition.
As part of this new approach, Ford is also canceling plans for other large electric vehicles and will instead offer a new, more affordable commercial van with both gas and hybrid options. This strategic retreat from an all-electric future is costly.
Ford anticipates that this pivot will have a massive $19.5 billion negative financial impact on the company.
