Ford's (F.US) electric strategy takes a sharp turn: may abandon flagship Lightning model F-150 in favor of "small and affordable" vehicles.

According to informed sources, Ford Motor Company is considering discontinuing its all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck. Although a final decision has not yet been made on this model, executives are actively discussing the matter. A Ford spokesperson declined to comment on future product plans, but pointed out that the F-150 Lightning set a sales record in the third quarter and is still the best-selling electric pickup truck in the US. Due to a fire at an aluminum plant in New York (which is a key supplier for the gasoline, hybrid, and electric versions of the F-150), Ford indefinitely suspended production of the Lightning at its Michigan plant last month. Spokesperson Ian Thibodeau stated in an email statement, "Our focus right now is on recovering from the fire while producing the F-150 gasoline and hybrid versions. Our F-150 Lightning inventory is sufficient, and we will restart the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center at the appropriate time, but no specific date has been set yet." The F-150 Lightning was once the core model of Ford's electric vehicle strategy, but its high price and range anxiety have made it difficult to attract buyers. Ford has also stated that it is seeking to focus its electric vehicle research and development efforts on smaller, more affordable models. Ford CEO Jim Farley recently stated that the scale of the US electric vehicle market will be "much smaller than we previously expected," and in the future will mainly focus on commuter vehicles suitable for "short trips," which may only account for 5% of total vehicle sales. As the $7500 federal tax credit for battery-powered vehicles expires, the demand for battery-driven models has plummeted, leading to a 24.8% decrease in Ford's electric vehicle sales last month. In October, F-150 Lightning sales dropped by 17.2%, with only 1543 units sold, accounting for about 2.3% of Ford's total F-series truck sales that month. The sharp shift in policy by President Trump, moving away from his so-called "electric vehicle mandate," is prompting automakers to reconsider their plans. Competitors like Tesla and General Motors have both scaled back their plans for large electric vehicles.