The Ford Lightning is seen at the New York International Auto Show on April 16, 2025.
Danielle DeVries | CNBC
DETROIT — Ford Motor is reportedly considering ending production of its all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck amid mounting losses and more challenging market conditions for EVs.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the talks Thursday, adding they are ongoing and nothing has been finalized. A source familiar with Ford’s product strategy who spoke anonymously because the talks were private confirmed to CNBC that the automaker has been evaluating its future EVs amid the company’s losses and changing market conditions.
“What I can say is that F-150 Lightning is the best-selling electric pickup truck in the U.S. — despite new competition from CyberTruck, Chevy, GMC, Hummer and Rivian — and delivered record sales in Q3. Right now, we’re focused on producing F-150 ICE and Hybrid as we recover from the fire at Novelis,” a Ford spokesman said in an emailed statement Thursday, declining to comment on the discussions.
Ford previously confirmed it paused production of the Lightning amid supply chain disruptions related to a fire at an aluminum plant for Novelis, a main supplier for the pickup truck.
Ford President Kumar Galhotra, when asked last month by media about Lightning production potentially ending, said the company’s main priority was gas-powered models. He said F-150 Lightning production could restart whenever the company would like but declined to give a timeframe.
The F-150 Lightning, which Ford once said was as important to the company as founder Henry Ford’s Model T, never lived up to internal or external expectations. The pickup initially received more than 200,000 nonbinding reservations that failed to convert to sales.
F-150 Lightning sales this year through October are roughly level compared with a year earlier at only 24,577 units. Since going on sale in 2022 in the U.S., Ford has sold less than 100,000 F-150 Lightning models.
The Lightning is manufactured at a facility connected to a large F-150 production plant in metro Detroit.
Ford’s EV operations, including the Lightning, have lost the company billions of dollars annually in recent years.
The U.S. EV market has faced daunting changes in regulations under the Trump administration this year, including the end of consumer credits of up to $7,500 for the purchase of an EV.
The reported discussions at Ford follow crosstown rival Stellantis deciding to end plans to produce an all-electric Ram 1500 pickup as well as General Motors significantly scaling back its plans for electric trucks.
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