Ford unveiled the new Lightning in May 2021, carrying on the legacy of the performance-minded pickup for a third generation. The original SVT Lightning was produced from 1993 to 1995, with the second-gen debuting in 1999 and lasting until 2004. Like its namesakes, the all-electric Lightning is big on performance. Ford is shooting for 563 horsepower and 775 lb.-ft. of torque, which should be good enough to propel the Lightning from 0-60 mph in around 4.5 seconds.
Ford starting accepting reservations shortly after the unveiling but reportedly had to pause the process in December due to surging demand. Beginning January 6, the automaker will start converting reservations into orders. Production is set to begin this spring with pricing starting at $39,974 before any federal tax incentives. Ford said it aims to push production capacity to 150,000 vehicles per year at its manufacturing plant in Dearborn, Michigan, but didn’t say how long it would take for production to reach the target rate.
The automaker also recently said it will increase production of its Mustang Mach-E, which is expected to hit 200,000+ units by 2023. Within 24 months, Ford hopes to have the capacity to turn out 600,000 battery electric vehicles annually. New manufacturing campuses being built in Tennessee and Kentucky will no doubt be instrumental in achieving that goal.
