Ford F-150 Lightning 2023: prices rise by up to $12,200 in US for electric pick-up, Australian release unconfirmed

---

Pricing for the Ford F-150 Lightning electric pick-up truck has been raised significantly for the American market, with pricing for the EV ute climbing up to USD$8500 (AUD$12,200 at the time of writing in August 2022).

The entry level all-electric Lightning Pro now costs USD$48,769 (AUD$70,110) – or USD$7000 more in the US than before the increase.

At the other end of the range, the F-150 Lightning Platinum has increased by USD$6000 (AUD$8625), with its price tag now USD$98,699 before taxes.

Four variants of Lightning are available in the United States, with most grades offering a choice between a smaller 98kWh battery or a larger 131kWh extended-range battery.

On the Lariat model, the smaller battery variant has climbed by USD$7000 (AUD$10,000), while the extended-range trim has increased by a significant USD$8500 (AUD$12,200).

Ford is not currently accepting customer orders for the F-150 Lightning after the Dearborn, Michigan-based carmaker received an overwhelming 200,000 orders following the EV truck’s debut. 

Why are costs of making an electric F-150 going up?

In America, Ford has said that material costs have increased, hence the reason for the sharp increases in price. 

When the company mentions material costs, it likely means that the manufacturer could be struggling with rising prices of minerals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, along with steel and aluminium. Lithium and cobalt are used for the batteries, while aluminium is used for the body work and structure of the vehicle. 

Electric vehicles rely on aluminium more than ever to keep weight down – the batteries alone are the heaviest part of an electric vehicle. The standard range Ford F-150 Lightning weighs 2800kg, while the extended range version weighs almost 3000kg. 

How much could a F-150 Lightning cost in Australia?

The F-150 has been confirmed by Ford Australia to arrive down under during the middle of 2023. 

Chasing Cars has already speculated that an entry-level F-150 could cost between $80,000 to $90,000 before on-road costs when it is launched in Australia. 

But how much could a Lightning all-electric variant cost in Australia?

Using US pricing, the Ford F-150 costs $35,880 before on-road costs for a base ICE model, with the electric Lightning variant starting at $48,769 before on-road costs. 

The difference in cost between the two is 26.47 percent, so if we add that rough figure to the estimated Chasing Cars Ford F-150 price of $90,000, we land with a final figure of $113,823. 

Is the Lightning confirmed for Australia?

The Lightning is not yet confirmed for the Australian market, however a twin-turbocharged petrol V6 engine will be available from around the middle of 2023 for the F-150.

Ford Australia told Chasing Cars earlier this year that it was “absolutely open” to new opportunities regarding electrification for the F-150, however it wanted to focus on getting the petrol V6 engine to market first and foremost.