2023 Ford F-150 Lightning simply grew to become dearer … once more

Ford has solely been delivering the F-150 Lightning for a number of months, however the truck has already seen a steep value improve. In August, the automaker boosted costs by important quantities throughout the board, with some trims seeing as a lot as an $8,500 soar. Now, Ford’s growing the Lightning’s value once more, and the bottom Professional mannequin isn’t wanting so reasonably priced anymore.

The excellent news is that present reservation holders gained’t be affected by the just about 11 % improve in base pricing for the truck. The unhealthy information is that the Lightning Professional now begins at almost $52,000, a far cry from the shockingly fairly sub-$40,000 price ticket Ford initially pitched. The highest-end Lightning Platinum now begins at round $97,000, round a 5 % improve from the 2022 mannequin yr.

Worth will increase are irritating for patrons and make automakers look unhealthy, however Ford doesn’t have a lot alternative if it needs to take care of revenue margins on new vehicles. Every part is dearer, and world provide chains aren’t working at full tilt because of warfare, COVID-19, and different elements. The challenges are particularly acute for electrical autos as a result of uncooked battery supplies like lithium and cobalt costs have doubled within the final couple of years.

Ford is hardly the one automaker with EV manufacturing value woes. Tesla has raised costs a number of occasions, with some fashions including hundreds to their backside line. Earlier this yr, CEO Elon Musk mentioned inflation had turn into worse than anticipated and famous that he believed the challenges would proceed by means of 2022.

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