Ford F-150 Lightning price climbs — again

At a time when skeptics wonder about the demand for all-electric vehicles, automakers including Ford Motor Company, continue to see steady orders even as prices rise.

Ford reopened its retail order banks Thursday for those who already hold reservations to buy the F-150 Lightning pickup truck as three work shifts and full production return to the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn.

The automaker shut down assembly of the high-profile truck for five weeks after a battery fire in the holding lot. Now things are back to normal.

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Trucks are shipping to customers, and Ford has adjusted its MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) upward in response to current material costs, market factors and supply chain constraints, Ford spokesman Martin Gunsberg confirmed to the Detroit Free Press on Thursday.

The all-electric 2022 F-150 Lightning has attracted non-traditional truck owners, according to new customer survey data from Ford Motor Company collected in 2021 and 2022. This model is a Lariat.

The latest prices for new orders of the 2023 Lightning:

  • Lariat Standard Range grows from $74,474 to $75,974
  • Platinum grows from $96,874 to $98,074

Ahead of the commercial order banks opening in mid-April, Ford has tweaked the price of its F-150 Lightning Pro from $55,974 to $59,974. At this point, the designated allocation of 2023 F-150 Lightning Pro trucks for non-commercial customers is sold out. That Lightning Pro order bank will not reopen for the 2023 model year.

“We sold out of Pro early on,” Gunsberg said.

The Pro is widely viewed as the rugged entry-level electric truck whereas the pricier trim models offer higher-end interior and exterior finishes that include a lightbar that goes across the front trunk, luxurious leather seats, a larger display screen on the dashboard and a glass roof.

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning XLT is used for camping by new pickup truck owners attracted by the idea of driving an electric vehicle. The front trunk adds extra space because there's no engine. A battery is attached to the underbelly of the vehicle.

Ford customers wanting the popular pickup currently must have a reservation and wait until the company invites them to place an order. The new process starting in coming weeks will allow shoppers without a reservation to order a Lightning directly for the first time, Gunsberg said.

“As we ramp up production toward a 150,000 annual run rate by the fall, we will start to open retail ordering for the first time in late spring,” Gunsberg said.

Meanwhile, Ford met a price cut on its Mustang Mach-E to meet a Tesla Model Y price reduction in February, and while Tesla has since increased the price on its SUV, Ford has remained firm.

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