There were people waiting for the Cybertruck pricing announcement; they were like "If the Cybertruck is actually $40K I'll get that, but otherwise I'll get a Lightning". Or "If they actually have a 500 mile Cybertruck I'll get that despite its looks".
Neither came true, so Ford is probably reducing production just as they get a bump in orders.
Tesla screwed the pooch with the Cybertruck. The looks get crapped on a lot, but if they were selling those things for $40,000 people would have bought them anyway, especially if it qualified for the full federal tax credit. The $70,000 price point is an early Christmas gift to Ford and Rivian.
Exactly. Now, the lack of inventory will cause slow sales to become a self-fulfilling prophesy
This, plus, I'm not sure the F-150 was the right platform target to begin with. Maybe for commercial sales, but not necessarily for the general public. The F-150 Lightning is still a "big" truck, and the trim options actually available from dealerships all seem to be the most expensive ones. There are zero models within 100 miles of me at the base trim, and only one under $70,000, but dozens of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink trucks that are priced more like real estate than vehicles. All I want is a no-frills electric truck that I can go grab some boards from the local hardware store with. Instead I'm better off with a Ford Ranger that gets 26 MPG and putting the $50,000+ I saved into offsetting my carbon impact a different way.
Neither came true, so Ford is probably reducing production just as they get a bump in orders.