Tesla (TSLA) – Download Tesla Inc Report has transformed the car.
Automaker and CEO Elon Musk has forced an entire industry to switch to cleaner cars. But they have still failed to push for mass adoption of electric vehicles.
Demand has risen sharply in recent months, but as the profile of electric car buyers reminds us, it is still the one for people living in cities, smart suburbs and people with high purchasing power.
The situation may change in the coming weeks. In fact, Ford (F) – Get Ford Motor Company Reportone of Tesla’s major rivals, may hold the key to mass adoption of electric vehicles in the United States
Jim Farley, the automaker’s CEO, has just announced that April 26 will be the launch date for the long-awaited F-150 Lightning, the electric version of the F-150 pickup.
Quintessential American car
The F-150 is the typical American car.
It is the best-selling vehicle in the country, a record it has held for several years now. It is the king of all cars in the countryside, in the countryside and generally in the heart of America. The question is whether consumers will fall as much in love with the electric version as they do with the gas version.
“⚡️ It’s time. # F150Lightning⚡️,” Farley wrote on the microblogging site Twitter on April 13. The message was surrounded by a lightning bolt to the left and another lightning bolt to the right.
Below, the CEO wrote the date:
“26.4.2022.”
The rollout has been more akin to the launch of blockbuster movies. To take things a step further, Farley accompanied his post with a picture of a car, presumably the F-150 Lightning, rolling with headlights on and back over his head by lightning.
For this Hollywood debut of the Lightning pickup, Ford is hosting an event in Dearborn, Mich., Where the vehicle is being assembled.
The event will no doubt be followed closely by the entire automotive industry.
Ford’s rivals no doubt hope to measure the intrusion of electric vehicles based on the success of the F-150 Lightning. Without saying so, Ford bases its strategy of producing 2 million electric vehicles a year by 2026 on the acceptance of the F-150 Lightning.
The company has gone so far as to recently separate its gasoline car manufacturing division from battery-powered cars. The first is called Ford Blue, while the second is Ford e. Farley is the CEO of both units.
Scroll to Continue
Ford had already announced that the first deliveries of the F-150 Lightning would start in the spring. The pickup has a very full order book. The automaker stopped receiving orders in December for the 2022 model year after registering about 200,000 orders.
Reservations closed
Not all reservations are often converted to fixed orders. But they provide an opportunity to measure interest in a product. And in the case of the F-150 Lightning, the interest is huge.
“No, the reservation system is now closed,” the company said.
But Ford plans to reopen reservations for model year 2023 in the “summer,” the automaker added. And production of that model will start in the fall.
Even if Ford reopens reservations, you may not know when you will receive the vehicle. The F-150 Lightning even today has a long waiting list.
In addition, Ford, like other automakers, is facing supply chain disruptions and a shortage of chips. Added to this was the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, which unbalanced the relationship between supply and demand for raw materials such as nickel and palladium.
Ford
To avoid a black market with the first customers wanting to resell their F-150 Lightning at excessive prices, Ford offered dealers a clause in their contract. The clause, called a non-sale provision, will also be binding on customers.
The F-150 Lightning comes in several variants, which also determines the battery life.
F-150 Lightning Pro Standard Range: 230 miles
F-150 Lightning Pro extended range (fleet only): 320 miles
F-150 Lightning XLT SR: 230 miles
F-150 Lightning XLT ER: 320 miles
F-150 Lightning Lariat SR: 230 miles
F-150 Lightning Lariat ER: 320 miles
F-150 Lightning Platinum: 300 miles.
What about the price and the competitors?
The base price ranges from $ 39,974 to $ 90,874 depending on the model you choose.
However, the F-150 Lightning will face very tough competition, more so than the gas version. There are, of course, GMs (GM) – Get the General Motors Company Report electric GMC Hummer pickup, to be followed by the electric version of the Chevy Silverado.
But above all, there is the R1T from Rivian (RIVN) – Download Rivian Automotive, Inc. Class A report and from 2023 the famous Cybertruck from Tesla.
In terms of charging, Ford says that “the 30 Amp (A) mobile power cord on a 240V and 120V socket comes standard with all F-150 Lightning models.”
The vehicle also has a battery with extended range and “included 80A Ford charging station pro charging equipment (which requires professional installation)” for home charging.