As Cybertruck Delivery Draws Close, What's Up With Ford's F-150 Lightning?

Ford Motor Co F CEO Jim Farley said that the sales of the F-150 Lightning all-electric truck tripled in the first half as compared to the first half of 2022.

What Happened: “Excited to deliver even more trucks to customers across America this year,” Farley said on Twitter without divulging absolute numbers.

He also congratulated the team at Rouge Electric Vehicle Center for continuing to ramp up production of the vehicle.

Ford had already sold 7,333 F-150 Lightning vehicles in the U.S. by the end of May, leading enthusiasts to predict that the automaker must have sold about 9,000 of its electric trucks in the first half.

Why It Matters: The first F-150 Lightning delivery took place to the end of May 2022. Since then, the vehicle has been in high demand. Throughout last year, Ford sold 15,617 F-150 Lightnings. The F-Series, of which the Lightning is a part, has been America's best-selling vehicle for 41 years.

Earlier this year, Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk appreciated Ford’s overall EV strategy and noted that the F-150 Lightning has high demand. Tesla’s highly anticipated Cybertruck is expected to be launched later this year.

Last month, Farley dismissed Cybertruck as “a cool high-end product parked in front of a hotel.” The Cybertruck, he says, is for Silicon Valley people.

Ford makes trucks “for real people who do real work,” he says.

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