Ford F-150 Lightning: Australia still a chance, but production numbers cut

January 2024: Electric F-150 Lightning production numbers will drop to 1600 vehicles per week

Andy Hunt

Ford is set to significantly reduce the number of F-150 Lightning EV trucks being manufactured, lowering from a weekly estimated 3200 vehicles.

Commenting on a memo obtained by Automotive News [↗], Ford said the adjustment is due to “changing market demand.”

This is not a phenomenon exclusive to the Blue Oval, with many other brands in the US market observing that earlier predictions on sales growth had been overestimated.

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Ford’s electric truck reached record highs in November 2023 at nearly 4400 units, but this falls short of the initial production target of 150,000 vehicles per year (roughly 53,000 sales per year, assuming 4400 sales each month).

This news follows fluctuating prices for the F-150 Lightning, with prices in March 2023 being as high as US$20,000 over the originally announced figure for the base “Pro” variant, before being later slashed in July 2023 by roughly US$10,000.

Ford was anticipating 5000 sales of their iconic F-150, seeking to compete with the popular RAM 1500, but the impact of the Lightning’s production cut remains unknown at this time.

September 2023: Ford F-150 Lightning still a chance for Australia

Ford has confirmed the F-150 Lightning is still a chance for Australia, with the all-electric pick-up set to be explored once the regular F-150 has been launched successfully.

Hope that the Lightning would join the petrol-powered F-150 on Aussie roads has been building since Ford announced its deal with RMA Automotive to convert the full-size US pick-up to right-hand drive.

Ford has also trademarked the Lightning name in Australia, adding further fuel to speculation that the 386-515km all-electric range pick-up would soon hit Aussie showrooms.

But while the first examples of the petrol-powered F-150 will arrive in dealers next month – stay tuned for our Aussie review on October 10 – Ford has reaffirmed the Lightning project is still in its infancy.

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Ford's confirmed the Mach-E for Australia, but not the F-150 Lightning

“Are we looking at it? Yes,” confirmed Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic at the media launch of the petrol F-150. “Is there a confirmed product program? Have I rung up Trevor [the GM of RMA Automotive] and said I need another line? No.

“That will come in the fullness of time. Not whether I say yes or no but in terms of we need to do further analysis and we just need to prove that we can do the conversion [on regular F-150], that we can do it with a lens on quality.

“So let's just do that first. And then we'll have a yarn about Lighting."

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Encouragingly, the general manager of RMA Automotive, Trevor Negus, confirmed there is capacity to add Lightning and other Ford models into production should Birkic give the green light.

“Absolutely. The whole facility has been built with other products in mind, I guess,” said Negus. “So we've got the capacity to take larger F Series. We've got the capacity to take other vehicles.”

Other models understood to be considered for conversion are the Ford Bronco SUV and the larger F Series Super Duty.

✍🏻 Alex Inwood

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Our original story, below, continues unchanged.

March 2022: Ford is evaluating the F-150 Lightning business case in Autralia

The fully electric version of America's biggest-selling vehicle is set to go on sale in the US in 2022, where demand has already prompted Ford to increase production targets from 40,000 to 80,000 by 2024.

The potential for the Lighting to be imported here has increased after Ford Australia this week confirmed it is importing the EcoBoost V6 version of the F-150 from mid-2023.

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Ford Australia and New Zealand CEO Andrew Birkic said the manufacturer needs to focus first on launching the regular F-150, but admitted the door was open for the Lightning down the track.

"There’s a lot of excitement globally about what the Lightning brings ... and there has been a huge demand for [the Lightning] in the US," said Birkic. "Is there a demand here? Yes, I’m absolutely sure we could sell that product, but we’ve got to make sure it’s commercially viable, and what we’ve also got to do is be in tune with our overseas colleagues, and right now that really is the focus.

"[The regular F-150] is an amazing product and we’re seeing the investment in Tennessee and Kentucky to support that. We’ve always got an open mind [about other variants], but we’re focusing on what we need to do – get the [regular] product here, get it done in a robust way, get the engineering done, get the remanufacturing set up. That’s our key focus and it needs to be. It’s important for us to have a significant and strong remanufacturing process.

"North America is investing billions of dollars in making sure that program is robust and they can get the cars to dealers and into customer hands, so right now our priority is ICE."

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The Blue Oval's Australian arm has previously committed to introducing five electrified models to local shores by 2025, with the E-Transit and Escape plug-in hybrid (PHEV) already confirmed as two of the five offerings.

While hybrid versions of the Ranger and Everest are expected to be the next models announced, many believe the Mustang Mach-E will complete the set – although today's announcement has thrown another hat in the ring.

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With the spotlight on the ICE-powered F-150, Ford fans might have to wait until after 2025 for the Lightning to turn up in Australia, although by this time it will be a second-generation model as the first-gen electric vehicle is expected to go out of production in 2025.