Ford to reopen F-150 Lightning orders at higher starting price
The F-150 Lightning order window will be opened up for the next wave of reservation holders on Thursday, but those who placed their orders before this week would need to shell out a bit more money. The charges have been raised by between $4,200 and $8,900 depending on the trim, according to Ford. "Significant material cost increases and other factors," among others.
“Customers who have placed a current order and are waiting for delivery are not affected by the price adjustments,” Marin Gjaja, Model E chief customer officer, said. “We've announced pricing so that our reservation holders can decide whether to place a Lightning order based on what's available.” Customers who have placed a reservation but did not receive an offer would "receive a personal invitation for later waves," Ford stated.
The base F-150 Lightning costs $46,974 (up by $7,000), while the basic mid-range XLT costs $59,474 (up by $6,500). Ford increased the price of the Platinum Extended Range by almost $4,000 to $96,874 at the top end of the scale. The Lariat Extended Range has gone up by more than $8,900 to $85,974 according to The Verge. These prices do not include a delivery charge.
Models with the basic battery will have a target EPA-estimated range of 240 miles, an increase of 10 miles per charge as a somewhat of makegood for the price rise. The Pro, XLT and Lariat trims are available with this battery. Ford is adding Pro Trailer Hitch Assist technology, which it claims will make hitching trailers easier through automatic steering, throttle and brake control. It's standard on certain Lariat trims and the Platinum trim and optional on others.
Ford is also introducing new color choices. Avalanche Gray and Azure Gray metallic tri-coat options will replace Atlas Blue, Ice Blue Silver, and Smoked Quartz Metallic when they are introduced this fall. Those will not be available on vehicles it produces until later in the year.
Last December, Ford temporarily limited reservations to 200,000 after receiving enough to fill three years of manufacturing capacity. The F-150 Lightning was introduced in April and began shipping that month. To date, over 4,400 units have been sold. From 2023 onwards, Ford plans to produce 150,000 vehicles per year at a plant in Dearborn, Michigan.
Source: www.engadget.com
