The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning recently touched down with loftier pricing. It's the base Pro trim level that suffered the most, with a substantial $7,000 increase raising the MSRP to $46,974. Now, less than two months later, the Blue Oval has announced yet another price hike for the entry-level model.
Buyers are now expected to fork over $51,974 for the Lightning Pro, which represents a staggering 30% increase over the original $39,974 price tag. According to CNBC, Ford said the inflated figure is "due to ongoing supply chain constraints, rising material costs, and other market factors. We will continue to monitor pricing across the model year," said the company.
Customers with existing orders will not be subjected to the new prices. However, those who still plan on ordering a Lightning Pro will have to fork over considerably more cash. Interestingly, the rest of the range remains unaffected, even though they all received an initial MSRP increase back in August. A new Lightning Platinum, for example, will now set buyers back $96,874.
It's not only Ford that's feeling the pinch. Most manufacturers have upped their prices in recent months. Tesla's entire lineup is considerably more expensive than before and, while no reason was given, it's safe to assume it's got to do with supply chain issues.
In fact, Elon Musk has previously said Tesla may have to reduce orders because of industry issues. "We are actually probably going to limit or just stop taking orders for anything beyond a certain period of time because some of the timing is more than a year away." The Lightning's elusive rival, the Cybertruck, won't sport a sub-$40,000 price tag, either.
Getting back to Ford, it's interesting that the Pro - which is aimed at business owners and fleets - has received this crippling price hike. Still, with the $7,500 federal tax credit, the basic Lightning model will still come in at a fairly palatable price point.
Ford's other electric workhorse, the E-Transit, also received a hefty increase earlier this year. 2023 models are up to $3,705 more expensive, with Ford's website listing the cheapest derivative (Cutaway) at $49,575. Again, the tax incentive will take some of the sting out of the purchase, but it's still a big pill to swallow.
For fleet managers, the higher price can be negated by the lower fuel bills and running costs, but this does put individual business owners in a quandary. The base '22 F-150 retails for $31,520 and while it will require more maintenance and refueling in the long run, the upfront saving is what will matter most to buyers on a budget.
