Ford hikes costs on its F-150 Lightning as manufacturing resumes after EV battery fireplace

Ford Motor stated that it has resumed full manufacturing of its electrical F-150 Lightning pickup following a February battery fireplace — and that it is as soon as once more elevating costs on the favored truck.

Ford stated the standard-range Lightning Professional, a lower-cost model of the truck optimized for fleet use, will now begin at slightly below $60,000, not together with delivery. That is roughly 50% larger than the Lightning Professional’s authentic beginning worth at launch final spring. Ford famous that the 2023 Lightning Professional is bought out for retail clients; order banks for fleet clients will reopen in April, the corporate stated.

Ford additionally raised the worth of the mid-level Lariat trim with standard-range battery from about $74,500 to only underneath $76,000. The beginning worth for a Lightning within the top-line Platinum trim additionally elevated, from about $96,900 to only over $98,000.

Information of the worth will increase and the resumption of Lightning manufacturing was first reported by Automotive Information.

Ford has raised Lightning costs a number of instances because it first introduced the truck’s pricing in 2021. The usual-range Professional model was initially set to start out at slightly below $40,000, however fast-rising prices of vital uncooked supplies equivalent to lithium, cobalt and nickel — and unexpectedly excessive demand for the electrical pickup — led Ford to extend costs a number of instances in 2022.

Ford halted manufacturing and shipments of the Lightning in February after a just-built truck awaiting a high quality test caught fireplace in a Ford holding lot. The corporate subsequently recognized a possible battery cell defect and recalled 18 Lightnings which will have had the identical problem.

No different fires had been reported, and Ford stated on the time that it was unaware of any accidents or accidents associated to the defect.

Shipments of the Lightning can even resume this week, a Ford spokesperson advised CNBC.