The F-150 Lightning was sold as the vehicle of the future. But Ford Motor Company’s “iconic” electric vehicle pickup didn’t even live to see its fourth birthday. Earlier this week, Ford announced it would cease production of its flagship full-size electric truck, which first went into production in April 2022. 

In a call with reporters, Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue and Ford Model e, said that the company was responding to economic reality and consumer demand. “The American consumer is speaking clearly, and they want the benefits of electrification like instant torque and mobile power,” Frick told reporters. “But they also demand affordability … rather than spending billions more on large EVs that now have no path to profitability, we are allocating that money into higher-returning areas.”