Ford was the first major manufacturer to offer an all-electric pickup truck. But the Lightning variant of the F-150 wasn’t conceived from scratch as an EV; it was in essence an F-150 converted to be all-electric. Contrast that with General Motors' strategy with its Silverado EV and Sierra EV, which were created from the ground up as all-electrics.
Ford promised to do the same, in other words produce a full-size pickup designed from the start as an EV, and do it by this year. Then came the postponements – first to 2026, then to 2027. Now the automaker has confirmed a further delay, to 2028.
The same goes for the electric van also in the works, presumably a new generation of the E-Transit.
We might get more information early next week, as Ford is promising a major announcement regarding its electric strategy.
Ford confirmed the latest postponements to Car and Driver, stating that “We communicated timing adjustments for our next-gen electric van and electric full-size pickup to our suppliers and employees in June. F-150 Lightning, America’s best-selling electric truck, and E-Transit continue to meet today’s customer needs.”
Ford says it plans to start building prototypes of the future electric truck in 2027.