Why Ford Is Done Selling The 2022 F-150 Lightning

It's an exciting time in the EV industry, as the long-awaited days of electric pickups for the mainstream finally arrive. Unsurprisingly, though, that process isn't necessarily a smooth one. Announced in mid-2021, Ford's F-150 Lightning promised a number of things to motivate pickup buyers into leaving their internal combustion vehicles behind. For a start, the all-wheel drive electric truck should be the fastest-accelerating F-150 so far, with Ford expecting it to potentially do the 0-60 mph dash in the mid-4-seconds range. It also has the most torque, at 775 lb-ft, of any F-150 so far.

To achieve that, Ford has used a pair of electric motors, combined with two different battery pack options. There'll be up to 320 miles of range, according to the EPA estimates, with the extended battery. Even when the F-150 Lightning is parked up, however, it'll still be capable of making use of that battery pack: multiple outlets inside and outside of the vehicle can be used to power campsites, tailgate parties, or worksites. With the right charger installed, the truck can even power a whole home during an electricity outage.

The other big motivation is pricing, of course. Contrary to the expensive all-electric pickups we've seen promised from other automakers, Ford's EV starts at just $40,000 (plus destination); that's before any federal tax incentives or credits. Options like the bigger battery and Ford's hands-free driver assistance tech package obviously send that price tag spiraling up, but you're still getting a whole lot of truck for your money.

But with all those features available, Ford has already closed the order books on its new all-electric truck, and there's not a single 2022 F-150 Lightning in the hands of owners.

If you were hoping to get in on the first wave of F-150 Lightning production — which kicked off in the US this week — you'll have to think again. Ford is suffering from an excess of success and closed the order books on its 2022 F-150 Lightning. "Due to high demand, the current model year is no longer available for retail order," the automaker's site now warns, directing would-be buyers to contact their dealer for more information.

Ford's decision doesn't come as a huge surprise: or, at least, it's one we could've predicted some time back. Demand for the F-150 Lightning has been significant since the automaker opened reservations back in mid-May 2021, with 100,000 refundable deposits by June 11. Today, reservations have reached double that figure, a milestone which presents as much of a challenge as it does a success.

Production of the new EV was always going to be constrained, and the global supply chain crisis certainly hasn't helped. Ford has increased its aim for the F-150 Lightning's production, and hopes to be building 150,000 of the electric trucks annually by 2023, but that still means a wait for early-adopters. For now, patience is the key, though it seems likely we'll see some of the first 2022 F-150 Lightning EVs showing up on car auction sites — and selling for a healthy premium — in the next few weeks.