The Blue Oval is coming for Tesla. There may be a big gap between the two automakers in the EV production space, but Ford has big plans for the future. In fact, Ford has dedicated an entire division to the production of electric vehicles called the Ford Model e. The Ford Blue division will maintain the production of its gas portfolio. Demand for Ford electric vehicles is so high that the company had to build another factory to produce F-150 Lightning electric pickup trucks.
The Ford F-150 Lightning is a great success
Ford first introduced the F-150 Lightning in spring 2021. It was released a year later, in spring 2022. The Blue Oval received around 200,000 pre-orders for the innovative electric pickup truck.
Chances are thousands of American drivers who didn’t get a chance to pre-order are just as excited about the EV. The electric truck became so popular so quickly that even Ford wasn’t prepared for the number of F-150 Lightning pre-orders the company received.
According to Well-informed personDarren Plamer, vice president of electric vehicle programs for Ford and Ford Model e, says the company had to open up the factory walls to make more space for production of the F-150 Lightning. The automaker is building a factory to help meet the high demand for electric pickup trucks and build other Ford electric nameplates.
How much does a 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning cost?
The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning comes in three different trim levels: Pro, XLT, and Lariat. The F-150 Lightning Pro starts at $51,974. That’s a $12K price increase from the 2022 F-150 Lightning’s starting price of $39,974.
The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning was eligible for the full $7,500 federal electric vehicle tax incentive. So some buyers could have gotten the electric pickup truck for about $32,474 before taxes and additional fees. The tax incentive plays a huge role in whether or not many Americans will buy electric vehicles.
The 2023 F-150 Lightning is much more expensive compared to the previous model year, but demand remains strong. The Lightning’s biggest rival could be the upcoming Chevy Silverado EV WT. The Silverado EV WT will be much more affordable than the current Lightning Pro model year when it arrives (unless GM raises the price).
How much does it cost to recharge a Ford F-150 Lightning?
Having a Ford Charge Station Pro home charging station is strongly recommended for owning an F-150 Lightning for cost and convenience reasons. The charging station costs $1,310 and must be installed by an expert. Sunrun is Ford’s preferred installation company.
The Ford Charge Station Pro comes complimentary with extended range battery models. Home charger charging costs vary by state because electricity prices vary. InsideEVs claims it could cost as little as $20.10 to recharge the F-150 Lightning with a home charger in the state of New Jersey.
It could cost up to $53.60 to recharge the electric van with a home charger in Hawaii. That said, the cost to charge the F-150 Lightning with a home charger in most states is significantly lower than the cost to refuel a full-size Ford F-150 pickup that runs on gasoline. Charging electric vehicles may be much more complex than refueling a gasoline-powered vehicle right now, but ideally, drivers will save hundreds of dollars in fuel annually over extended periods of ownership.