Ford F-150 Lightning vans manufactured on the Rouge Electrical Automobile Middle in Dearborn Michigan.
Courtesy: Ford Motor Co.
Ford Motor stated that it has resumed full manufacturing of its electrical F-150 Lightning pickup following a February battery fireplace — and that it is as soon as once more elevating costs on the favored truck.
Ford stated the standard-range Lightning Professional, a lower-cost model of the truck optimized for fleet use, will now begin at just below $60,000, not together with delivery. That is roughly 50% greater than the Lightning Pro’s original starting price at launch final spring. Ford famous that the 2023 Lightning Professional is bought out for retail prospects; order banks for fleet prospects will reopen in April, the corporate stated.
Ford additionally raised the worth of the mid-level Lariat trim with standard-range battery from about $74,500 to simply underneath $76,000. The beginning worth for a Lightning within the top-line Platinum trim additionally elevated, from about $96,900 to simply over $98,000.
Information of the worth will increase and the resumption of Lightning manufacturing was first reported by Automotive News.
Ford has raised Lightning costs a number of occasions because it first introduced the truck’s pricing in 2021. The usual-range Professional model was initially set to start out at just below $40,000, however fast-rising costs of critical raw materials akin to lithium, cobalt and nickel — and unexpectedly high demand for the electrical pickup — led Ford to increase prices several times in 2022.
Ford halted production and shipments of the Lightning in February after a just-built truck awaiting a top quality verify caught fire in a Ford holding lot. The corporate subsequently recognized a possible battery cell defect and recalled 18 Lightnings which will have had the identical situation.
No different fires had been reported, and Ford stated on the time that it was unaware of any accidents or accidents associated to the defect.
Shipments of the Lightning may even resume this week, a Ford spokesperson instructed CNBC.
