The most popular pickup truck in America is back, now with way more batteries. Ford revealed the fully electric F-150 Lightning at an event Wednesday night, in a moment that could herald the point at which electric vehicles go truly mainstream.
The Ford F-150 has been the best selling truck in America for over four decades. In fact, the F-series line of pickup trucks is the best selling “light vehicle” in America, period, according to data from Cox Automotive.
An electric truck represents a great opportunity for Ford to get ahead of competitors like Tesla (TSLA) and Rivian, an electric vehicle startup in which Ford is a major investor. But it also represents a great challenge. Ford has spent more than a century building its reputation among pickup buyers and a poorly received entry into this market could squander that.
Although the explosion of electric trucks in the market makes for an exciting time in the industry, it also poses a threat to automakers like Ford, which needs to stay two steps ahead of the competition in order to protect its primary source of profitability.
