Ford Receives Over 130,000 Reservations for the F-150 Lightning, Strong Demand for Electrified Vehicles

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Experts weren't sure if consumers would be interested in electric pickup trucks. Pickup truck shoppers demand a lot out of their vehicles and with the recent move to offer upscale pickups, people were questioning whether shoppers would be willing to accept the compromises of an electric powertrain. From Ford's more recent August 2021 sales document, it looks like the automaker has nothing to worry about, because the all-electric F-150 Lightning is doing extremely well and it isn't even on sale yet.

Reservations Continue To Climb

The automaker claims that reservations for the F-150 Lightning have crossed 130,000 units. That's an impressive amount for a truck that won't even be delivered until Spring 2022. It also continues the popularity of reservations the automaker has received for the electric pickup since its debut. Within 12 hours of the truck's debut, Ford received 20,000 reservations. By 48 hours, that figure reached 44,500 reservations. Sure, the number of reservations has slowed down, but 130,000 in just over three months is still impressive.

The high number of reservations follows Ford's recent decision to increase the pickup truck's production figures. When the truck was announced, Ford stated that it would be doubling its production figures for the truck. The current production plan for the F-150 Lightning includes 15,000 units in 2022, 55,000 units in 2023, and 80,000 units in 2024. For the consumers that put their reservations in late, they're looking at waiting until 2024 for their pickups to be delivered. And that's if the F-150 Lightning isn't affected by any issues.

The latter part seems unlikely, as Ford has been having major issues with the Bronco and Mustang Mach-E. The chip shortage is also playing a large role in Ford's issues, as the automaker had to let F-Series truck sit idly by at empty lots as they wait for chips.

All Ford EVs Are Doing Well

The all-electric Lightning isn't the only electrified vehicle that's doing well for Ford. The automaker claims that it has also received over 100,000 reservations for the Maverick. In August, Ford claims that sales of its electrified vehicles set a new record in August. Last month, Ford's electrified vehicle sales were up 67.3% over last year, as it sold 8,756 electrified cars. Additionally, the automaker's electrified vehicles are bringing new customers in for the brand at a staggering rate.

Ford will definitely be happy with the interest it's receiving in its electrified vehicles. The automaker's plan of electrifying its more iconic nameplates first is one that has clearly worked for the brand.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods