A Ford F-150 Lightning currently has an average used price of around $45,000 (depending on where you live, the year, and the condition, of course). But yeah, it’s a lot cheaper and it’s selling.<\/p>\n
It’s apparently not that nobody wants an electric truck. Nobody wants an expensive electric truck. This sounds like good news for the Slate truck<\/a> and Ford Fathom<\/a>.<\/p>\n But for now, we got the Lightning.<\/p>\n Ford didn’t discontinue the Lightning because it sucked, that’s for sure. My colleague Dave McQuilling was a fan after he had the opportunity to test-drive one.<\/p>\n “Trucks are about utility and, for all of its faults, the F-150 Lightning provides more utility than pretty much any other truck. Which is why it\u2019s a shame Ford has shelved it,” he wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Ford F-150 Lightning was discontinued in December 2025, largely due to the high cost of production. Ford didn’t really see a good profit margin. In fact, Ford lost tens of thousands of dollars on each Lightning built. To make up for this, Ford had to keep raising the price. Most American truck buyers were not willing to spend around $80,000.<\/p>\n Some would probably argue that the whole point of an American truck is to get s*** done for cheap. They’re meant to be a versatile workhorse that can tow, haul stuff around, and look badass in a driveway without costing a fortune. That’s the American dream. And that’s what really made electric pickup seem a bit silly when they first started coming out. Who wants a fancy shmancy electric pickup that’s nearly six figures?<\/p>\n Nine months into 2026, Ford has sold only 4,470 Lightnings, almost 80% fewer than it sold in the same period last year.<\/p>\n However, used<\/em> Lightnings are now pretty affordable. According to Recurrent, used Lightnings only spend about 16 days on dealership lots. They’re selling\u00a0fast<\/em>.<\/p>\n As gas prices skyrocket<\/a>, a used Lightning seems like a smart investment. It’s a capable truck without needing to fill a tank. Win-win, especially at this lower price point.<\/p>\n “When Ford was selling it brand new, the math was complicated,” said Jimmy Douglas<\/a>, CEO of wholesale electric vehicle dealer Plug. “The Lightning is now 50% to 60% of the sticker price, and that is really a sweet spot; it’s an incredible truck for the money.”<\/p>\n Of course, that excitement may dwindle once the Ford Fathom comes out. That $30,000 price point is nearly unheard of over here in the U.S., where we aren’t allowed to have cheap Chinese EVs<\/a>. Ford CEO Jim Farley even said at one point that the company learned from the Lightning.<\/p>\n It was too big and the battery was too expensive.<\/p>\n “I think you’re going to see a product that really has a potential to change our industry,” Farley said in an interview with USA TODAY<\/strong>. “Not just be a successful product. Like any other OEM would give you a model name. But actually a project that is almost as revolutionary as the Model T was. Which ironically it’s a small electric pickup truck.”<\/p>\n The Ford Fathom is five years in the making. It will finally be out at the end of 2027. It’s still pretty far out, so there’s plenty of time for people to snatch up these Ford F-150 Lightning until then.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the past few months, Ford’s discontinued electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning, has seen a huge surge in sales. The … <\/p>\nWhat happened to the Ford F-150 Lightning if it’s so desirable?<\/h2>\n
Make way for the Ford Fathom at half the price<\/h2>\n
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