The Ford F-Series trucks are legendary for their capability and how well they sell, but the climate around the automotive industry recently has been difficult, to say the least. Ford, and the F-150 specifically, have been hit harder than most recently with a shortage of a pretty critical component. The mass orders of the new Super Duty and recent F-150 Lightning sales are looking to change the company's fortune, even if Ford's overall sales are still struggling.

Super Duty order books opened on October 27th, and over the next five days, the vehicles racked up over 52,000 new orders. October was great for the F-Series in general as it expanded its lead over its nearest competitor to 105,427 trucks. In total, 523,712 F-Series trucks have been sold so far in 2023.

The 2023 Super Duty Line debuted in late September to much fanfare. It brought with it class-leading power numbers and a 40,000-pound towing rating. The eye-watering $73,000 max price tag didn't seem to bother would-be buyers, as over 67% of retail sales of the truck last month came from previously placed orders.

On top of this, the F-150 Lightning is the best-selling electric truck in America and had its best sales month in October since launch. Ford doesn't separate the sales of its individual F-Series trucks, except for the F-150 Lightning, which recorded 2,436 sales in October, with over 11,196 sales to date for the year.

Ford's electric vehicle sales, in general, are up over 120% compared to last October and are about two times the growth rate of the overall EV Segment. The Mustang Mach-E has seen a growth of 7.3%, with 3,055 units moved in October and 31,144 year-to-date.

Despite all the good news, Ford's overall truck sales are down 7.7% from last October, with all of Ford's sales down 10%. The whole automotive industry has been in a state of permacrisis since the COVID pandemic, dealing with supply shortages and roaring inflation for more than two years. with a lack of inventory on the lots along with fears of a looming recession, overall vehicle sales have slumped.

The company has already confirmed that it will be able to clear its chip backlogs by the end of the year. This will then open up the pathway for Ford to focus on not only the upcoming Super Duties but also the upcoming Ranger and Maverick Lightning trucks. Hopefully, with an increase in inventory on dealers' lots, people won't have to pay $19k over sticker too. Ford and all the other manufacturers need some time to figure it out.

Two other Ford models have seen massive growth this year. The Bronco has seen sales increase by 453.9%, moving 10,928 units in October and 97,315 YTD. The Maverick, meanwhile, has sold 61,035 units so far in 2023, representing a 1,213.7% increase over this time last year.