Ford’s recent decision to abandon the next generation of a fully electric F-150 Lightning is clear evidence that the automaker is effectively conceding defeat to Chinese manufacturers. This new strategy may work for a few years, but with such a short-term vision, Ford’s future is now at stake.
- Ford will instead develop an F-150 Lightning equipped with an EREV range extender.
- Ford is also cancelling electric commercial vans in North America and Europe.
- The Universal EV platform remains years away from production.
The statement may sound strong, perhaps even prophetic, especially since it draws directly from the words of Jim Farley himself, Ford’s CEO, who recently appeared very much like a “yes man” during his last visit to the Oval Office with President Trump. Farley has welcomed Trump’s rollback of most environmental compliance requirements for polluting automakers. As a result, Ford and others are no longer truly obligated to produce fully electric vehicles and can revert to old habits.
An Admitted Delay
During a visit to China, Farley test-drove Chinese electric vehicles and openly acknowledged that Chinese manufacturers hold a significant lead, both in technology and pricing. He even admitted that Ford must accelerate innovation in areas such as EV software, batteries, and manufacturing techniques. Ford is therefore fully aware that it is behind.
Head in the Sand
Despite this admission, what is most concerning about Ford’s decision is the extent of its short-term thinking. The company is withdrawing from a segment where its pickup truck is virtually its only stronghold. Let’s be honest: without the F-150, there is very little left at Ford. It is true that the Lightning did not achieve the success Ford had hoped for. The goal was annual sales of 150,000 units, supported at the time by a promised base price of US$40,000. In reality, neither the sales volume nor the price ever materialized.
2026 F-150 Lightning STX available late September 2025.No Introspection
Instead of questioning the reasons behind the Lightning’s failure, Ford is simply throwing in the towel and handing the market over to GM with the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV. Yet the reasons are obvious and numerous: higher-than-expected pricing, limited range, very few configuration options, and above all, a non-modular, non-shared platform. Achieving profitability is difficult when insufficient effort is made to ensure success. The Lightning was far from perfect, but it remained appealing to many buyers, and the vast majority of owners genuinely enjoy their truck.
Reducing Choice in the Name of Freedom
With or without government incentives, the aggressive anti-EV rhetoric coming from the U.S. administration has also played a major role in creating a hostile climate toward electrification. The Trump administration has done everything in its power to restrict consumer freedom of choice between internal combustion and electric powertrains. Under these conditions, profitability becomes extremely difficult.
While Ford publicly champions consumer choice, the company has cancelled the full electrification of its next-generation T3 platform, a three-row SUV, and multiple electric vans for both North America and Europe.
Financial Strain
From a financial standpoint, it is hard to blame Ford. The company has lost nearly $20 billion since the beginning of its electric vehicle journey. Add to that a series of other costly issues, including tariffs and an ongoing wave of recalls, each costing hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars. Ford’s financial position is nowhere near as strong as Toyota’s, the South Korean automakers’, or certainly the Chinese manufacturers’, but at least the company remains profitable for the 2025 fiscal year.
The lack of profitability of the Lightning explains Ford’s short-term outlook. However, like most automakers, Ford must think beyond the length of a single presidential term. The company nevertheless claims that a more pragmatic approach using a range extender makes more sense in the electrified pickup segment.
It is true that this solution will be highly relevant for many users with demanding towing needs and long-distance requirements. Still, questions remain regarding the technology, real-world output, and above all, reliability of this powertrain. Ford has proven capable of both excellence and failure when it comes to reliability. The numbers speak for themselves: Ford remains the worst automaker in North America and globally in this area, with more than 110 recalls in 2025 alone. Ford has even broken records, at a cost of billions of dollars, with absolutely no return on investment.
What Does the Future Hold?
Clearly, Ford’s Model e division is currently a failure. One can even question the immediate future of the Mustang Mach-E. Ford has announced plans to launch a compact electric pickup roughly the size of the Maverick, with a target price around $30,000. That is excellent news, but it is worth recalling that Ford initially promised a $40,000 F-150 Lightning. Time will tell. At present, the automaker expects this new small EV lineup to reach production no earlier than 2027, and even that is far from guaranteed.
GM Has Completely Outpaced Ford
Ford will eventually launch its Universal EV platform, loosely following GM’s Ultium strategy. This platform is intended to underpin everything from small vehicles to large luxury models under the Lincoln brand. At GM, the road to profitability with Ultium has been slow, but progress is being made. GM currently offers the widest EV lineup among North American automakers and expects its Ultium division to become profitable in 2026. It must be noted that GM has invested approximately $35 billion. Can we say GM invested better, planned better, and thought through electrification more effectively than Ford? Yes, without any doubt, because there was a clear strategy.
Conclusion
One day, Ford will wake up and realize that its slowdown in electrification will cost the company dearly, or it will already be too late. While electrification may be slowing in North America, the rest of the world continues to move forward, both in development and adoption. By the time Farley stops focusing only on the short term, Chinese and South Korean manufacturers will have established an insurmountable lead that Ford will be unable to close within a reasonable timeframe. In fact, it may already be too late.
