Ford Raises The Price Of The Cheapest F-150 Lightning Pro Significantly—Again

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro’s initial basic pricing was shockingly low considering its size: Here came a full-size pickup […]

Ford

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro’s initial basic pricing was shockingly low considering its size: Here came a full-size pickup truck that was entirely electric, advertised for just over $41,000. Ford used many parts from the standard, gas-fed F-150 to help keep the price down, and it also charged significantly more for larger batteries and better trim levels to ensure those costlier models benefited its bottom line.

After a price rise in August, Ford is now raising the price of its least costly F-150 Lightning Pro model once more, making it appear as though the entry-level F-150 Lightning’s days as a noteworthy deal are now finished. The Pro is the sole model affected by the revised pricing, which raises the truck’s initial, startlingly low price of just $41,769 to $53,769.

Doing the math for you, that represents a $12,000 increase over the Pro’s original price and a $5,000 increase over the price adjustment announced in August. It also excludes the $500 Mobile Power Cord, assuming you wanted that as an option. Even though the Power Cord is included in Ford’s online build-your-own configurator, it is not technically necessary because the Lighting Pro may be charged using any AC EV charger with a J1772 connector.

The Pro no longer qualifies as a jaw-dropping value due to Ford’s price changes; instead, it is now only considered “lower-priced.” Think about the Rivian R1T, which cost $68,575 for a dual-motor model when the Lightning first went on sale. It was the only other electric truck on the market at the time. It cost almost $30,000 more than the least expensive Ford at the time.

The Tesla Cybertruck and Chevrolet Silverado EV are still not available for purchase. The Silverado WT, which Chevrolet claims will start at $41,595—$74 less than Ford’s initial request—is the only truck that guarantees to match the Lightning Pro’s price. When the Silverado EV WT debuts on sale the following year, it will be $12,174 less expensive than the Lightning Pro if the price stays the same.

The Blue Oval said there were problems with the supply chain and “increasing material costs.” Ford responded when we asked for additional information: “Due to continued supply chain issues, escalating material costs, and other market-related factors, Ford is revising the MSRP for the 2023 F-150 Lightning Pro. We’ll keep an eye on prices throughout the model year. This modification does not impact current retail order holders waiting for deliveries.”

The good news is that your order for an F-150 Lighting Pro will be filled at the price that was in effect when you placed it if you ordered it before the price increase became effective. We can’t answer for any dealership shenanigans that may boost the price at the moment of sale, but if you come across severe markups, we recommend contacting Ford’s corporate offices; the automaker is eager to reduce such “market adjustments.”

When might the availability situation get better? When it comes to the Lightning and Mach-E, Ford is considering adopting lithium iron phosphate (LFP or LiFePo4) batteries at some point in the future. We wondered if the rising cost of materials and other problems were pushing Ford’s exploration of this option further off. Ford didn’t provide us with a follow-up answer to that question.