F-150 Lightning (electric pickup) begins production.

On 26/04/2022, Ford Motor Company officially began production of the all electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. The launch marked the start of manufacturing for Ford’s first full size electric pickup designed for mainstream retail and commercial customers. The company hosted employees, union representatives, executives, and early reservation holders during the “Job 1” production event at the historic Rouge Complex. The F-150 Lightning was introduced as the electric version of the long running Ford F-Series lineup, which had remained the best selling truck series in the United States for decades. Ford first revealed the model in May 2021 and reported strong reservation demand before production started. By late 2021, the company had received nearly 200,000 reservations for the truck. Production took place inside the newly developed Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, a facility built within Ford’s historic Rouge manufacturing complex. Ford said the site combined modern EV manufacturing systems with existing large scale vehicle production experience. During the launch event, Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford described the occasion as a modern manufacturing milestone connected to the company’s assembly line history at Rouge. The F-150 Lightning entered the market with dual electric motors, standard four wheel drive, available extended range battery options, and features including bidirectional power capability for homes and work sites. Early production models offered up to 320 miles of estimated driving range depending on configuration, along with towing and payload capacities aimed at traditional pickup customers. Customer deliveries began in May 2022 following the production launch. The vehicle became part of Ford’s broader expansion into battery electric vehicles, alongside the Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit commercial van. Why This Moment Matters : The beginning of F-150 Lightning production showed how established automakers were moving electric vehicles into high volume segments traditionally dominated by gasoline powered models. Instead of launching a niche EV product, Ford applied electrification to its best known pickup platform, bringing electric technology into one of the largest vehicle categories in North America.