Ford F-150 Lightning electric pick-up still a chance for Australia

Ford Australia executives have again refused to rule out the possibility of the Ford F-150 Lightning electric pick-up joining the local F-150 line-up.

However, the chances of the electric variant joining the local Ford F-150 line-up hinges on the success of the upcoming local conversion program of the regular, petrol-powered F-150 due in showrooms in the second half of 2023.

Ford Australia president and CEO, Andrew Birkic, told media during a preview for electric Ford E-Transit van: “When it comes to [F-150 Lightning], would I love it? Absolutely.”

“I definitely think there's a customer for it. We've seen that globally, well in certainly North America, but our focus right now is landing the plane and not far from here out of [Melbourne] we've got a pretty big factory that RMA [a Thai-based third-party manufacturing provider] are doing, putting a lot of processes to land the plane on XLT and Lariat remanufacturing and that has to be our focus.”

Ford’s local right-hand-drive program follows the tyre tracks of fellow US pick-ups Ram and Chevrolet, which use factory-backed remanufacturing firm, the Walkinshaw Automotive Group (the former parent company of Holden Special Vehicles).

Ford has appointed Thailand-based RMA Group to convert left-hand-drive F-150s to right-hand-drive in a new purpose-built facility not far from the former Ford assembly line in Broadmeadows, Victoria.

If that program proves successful, the F-150 Lightning might not be far behind.

“So once we get through that, and of course we do things in parallel as well, but certainly [launching XLT and Lariat variants] is our primary objective when it comes to F Series. To ensure that we deliver on our quality goals, production goals, prove that process out,” said Mr Birkic.

“And again, you probably look at it as you might be going a bit slow, sometimes you need to go a little bit slow to go fast and ensure that is our primary objective to do that. It's not to say we won't do it, but right now the answer's 'no'.”

Mr Birkic confirmed the F-150 Lightning is not one of the five new hybrid or battery electric vehicles the local arm plans to introduce by the end of 2024.

The first examples of the locally-converted, twin-turbo V6 petrol-powered Ford F-150 are due in showrooms in the second half of this year.

Customers are already able to order a new Ford F-150 via showrooms in the lead-up to the car's launch later this year, with many outlets reportedly quoting wait times of at least six to 12 months.