DETROIT – Ford Motor Co. Has ceased production of the F-150 Lightning, its all-electric pickup truck, after less than two years on the market. The decision, announced Monday, marks a significant shift away from the automaker’s previously ambitious electrification plans, citing financial losses and softening consumer demand.
The move comes as Ford anticipates a $19.5 billion hit in the fourth quarter, largely due to its electric vehicle business, and after losing $13 billion on EVs since 2023. Instead of continuing the Lightning, Ford will repurpose its Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center, formerly earmarked for EV and battery production, to manufacture affordable gasoline-powered trucks. The Ohio Assembly Plant will produce a recent gas and hybrid van.
“This is a customer-driven shift to create a stronger, more resilient and more profitable Ford,” CEO Jim Farley said in a statement. “The operating reality has changed, and we are redeploying capital into higher-return growth opportunities: Ford Pro, our market-leading trucks and vans, hybrids and high-margin opportunities like our new battery energy storage business.”
The F-150 Lightning initially generated considerable excitement in the United States, with lengthy waiting lists reported. A limited number of the vehicles were imported to Norway in 2024, following a concerted effort by the Norwegian importer to bring the truck to the European market. Vegard Mølmen, a journalist with the Norwegian publication Broom, test drove a prototype in September 2022, noting the vehicle’s impressive capabilities but acknowledging the challenges of a full-scale launch in Norway.
Despite initial enthusiasm, sales of the Lightning fell short of expectations both in the U.S. And Norway. In Norway, the price of 1.183.000 kroner (approximately $105,000 USD at the time) proved a barrier for many potential buyers, as did the vehicle’s limited payload capacity of 535 kilograms and a range of 429 kilometers.
The decision to discontinue the Lightning was also influenced by the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President in November 2024. Trump’s stated opposition to electric vehicles and his plans to eliminate EV incentives created uncertainty for Ford and other automakers. The removal of those incentives in October 2024 significantly altered the economic equation for electric vehicle production.
Approximately 1,000 F-150 Lightning trucks were sold in Norway before production ended. Remaining inventory is now being sold off, with the used car market becoming the only avenue for prospective buyers. Vehicles imported directly from the U.S., without the backing of the Norwegian importer, are available at lower prices – starting around 700,000 kroner – but come without the standard new car warranty and may have compatibility issues with local charging infrastructure and software systems. Norsksolgte (Norwegian-sold) models are currently priced starting just under 800,000 kroner and include a five-year/100,000 kilometer warranty.
Ford now expects hybrid, extended-range EVs (which combine a gasoline engine with an electric drivetrain), and full EVs to account for half of its global volume by 2030, up from 17% this year. The company is also developing an extended-range version of the F-150, incorporating a gasoline engine to address range anxiety. However, this version is not expected to be offered in the Norwegian market due to tax implications.
