HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Ford's newest F-150 truck, the electric Lightning, made its debut in Huntsville at Woody Anderson Ford. The much-anticipated vehicle already has a long waiting list.
The first-of-its-kind Lightning enters the Tennessee Valley market after years of anticipation, said dealer Cathy Anderson. She also addressed concerns about a lack of hauling or towing ability. "10,000 pounds in payload capability and then 300 miles. With an extension, you can get 320."
While you can now test drive the car at the dealership, there isn't a full rollout because of supply chain delays. Anderson says, "All the manufacturers are working on it. I can't make a promises, if there's gonna be 20 trucks on the ground tomorrow, but we're working at that, and also working at our products coming in, if they're missing a chip that's not essential, then we can go ahead and sell those trucks and then bring the customer back in, or we have mobile service, and we have pickup and delivery."
Introducing more electric vehicles to the area could help to lower Alabama's gas intake. Data compiled by auto insurance firm QuoteWizard estimated that Alabama was the 10th-most gas-guzzling state, based on gallons used last year per licensed driver. Meanwhile, the Yellowhammer State ranks 31st for total electric vehicle registration, per the U.S. Department of Energy's latest data.
Woody Anderson Ford says 200 people are on the waiting list and will be told by Ford Corporate when their truck is available to pick up. Test drives are available through July 8.